


Because, In The End

by NympheSama



Series: Summer Of Endless Love [2]
Category: Endless Summer (Visual Novel)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Anal Sex, Angst, Danger, Drama, Emotional Turmoil, F/M, Gay Sex, M/M, Major Spoilers, Miscommunication, NO LONGER A SLOW BURN STORY, Oral Sex, Romance, Sex, Spoilers, anguish, oh the feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-19
Updated: 2018-07-01
Packaged: 2019-05-08 23:30:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 344,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14704740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NympheSama/pseuds/NympheSama
Summary: M!Taylor continues to struggle with his identity and his growing abilities, his memories haunting him as they plague him with visions of fear and death.Will he and his friends be able to fight through the hardships ahead of them, or will their lives fall to inevitable ruin?Can Taylor figure out the mystery of La Huerta in time to save those he loves most?





	1. The Unknown Has Always Been A Comfort To Me

**Author's Note:**

> Hahaha, so this wasnt supposed to get written yet but... yep. I started it.
> 
> Now i have a hundred new ideas for new fics to start after this one is finished; and i just realised... next chapter is the time loop! So you know what that means!  
> Yeah you do... ;p
> 
> Hope you enjoy the second book!
> 
> x My love to you all x

**_Dear Jake;_ **

_I don't even know how to begin explaining how it feels... Its like I'm hollow, but... not? Yeah like I said, I dunno. There was this, emptiness that no matter how I tried, I couldn't quite seem to... But you, you filled it._

_They told me, it was my choices who made me who I am, and to a degree they're right... But it's everything else too. It was the crazy ass life we led on the island, the insane things we saw and did... The bonds we made... The love we shared - and I mean that about all of us! But for me... everything was you._

**1.**

**The Unknown Has Always Been A Comfort To Me**

_We will meet soon Taylor... All that was, is, and shall be; depends on you..._  Taylor shook his head frowning at the strange thought which passed unbidden through his mind. He glanced around to make sure nobody had spoken to him, but Aleister and Estela were still staring at Rourke, asleep in his  **MASADA**  pod like the infant Taylor felt he truly was. He glanced at Iris, who was floating nearby, but keeping her distance, almost as if she were afraid of Rourke.

"...  _Father."_  Aleister repeated and Taylor promptly forgot about the strange voice he'd heard, as he frowned at the man, floating in the goo filled tank.

"Facial match confirmed." Iris muttered from beside the desk, her eyes flashing as she scanned her creator briefly. "That is indeed, Everett Rourke."

"So, I guess your intel was right. He really  _was_  here all along, Aleister." Taylor said with a grimace, uncurling his hands with a since, as he noticed the scattering of blood drops on the floor.

"You're telling me," Estela growled slowly, her expression darkening as she glared at the man in the tank. "The whole time we were walking around this  _damn_  office, the man responsible for  _all_  of this, was just  _floating_  here?!" She exploded, her fist colliding with the glass in front of Rourke's sleeping face. Taylor sniggered as she shook out her hand, pleased he had restrained himself, but also pleased to have seen her do it instead.

Aleister stepped up to the side of the tank, staring up at his father's slumbering face icily. "You cant hide from me now, father..." He sneered, his hard eyes glimmering with a sadistic glee. "Now, you  _have_  to face me."

"Yeah," Taylor snorted, rolling his eyes and folding his arms over his chest, as Aleister turned towards him in surprise. "The rest of us might have a few questions for him too." He said with a sarcastic wink, feeling only vaguely guilty at the way he was transferring his rage at Rourke to Aleister. He sighed and looked away, his jaw clenching briefly before he forced himself to relax his tense frame. "Come on, let's figure out how we get him outta-" he said, only to hear tapping from the desk. He looked over to see Estela already hitting buttons randomly. He laughed and smirked as he leaned against Rourke's pod. "You know you might just kill him, whack-attacking the keys like that?" He asked with amusement, not in the least bothered whether she actually did.

Aleister looked mildly alarmed, as a strange noise began to ring out through the office, and turned back to the pod quickly when the green fluid in the tank began to drain. The various tubes, left Rourke suspended in mid-air and Taylor glanced at the others hopefully as an idea sprang to his mind. "I don't suppose either of you would see the funny side, if we left him here like this..?" He asked, but was ultimately ignored.

"I advise against waking him suddenly." Iris said reluctantly, though she never approached the tank. "Long periods of suspended animation could prove-"

"On second thought, how about we start hammering the glass really loud and pull a fire alarm?" Taylor suggested eagerly, only for Estela to jab him in the shoulder as she passed, though her lips twitched with amusement. The glass tube began to retract into the ceiling, and Rourke slumped out, naked, as the last of the green fluid spilled out at his feet.  _"Dude!_  That is a sight I did  _not_  need to see in my life!" Taylor groaned, covering his eyes, as Aleister caught his father before he could hurt himself. Taylor sighed in disappointment, though he quickly covered the gesture with a large yawn, when Aleister threw him a withering glare.

Rourke's eyes slowly fluttered open, looking around the curious faces around him. "Y...  _you..."_  He stammered, locking his gaze first onto the scowling Taylor before quickly shifting to Estela.

Finally his eyes settled on Aleister, whose face quivered, caught halfway between a sneer and a sob. "Yes. It's me." He said shakily, and Taylor fought to contain a snort, wondering why Aleister assumed his negligent father would have been speaking to him.

Rourke feebly pushes himself up, staggering to the window and gazing out at the dawn in wonder, slurring words under his breath. " _The... Endless... is_..."

Taylor immediately narrowed his eyes, his hand raised to cover the older mans nudity as best he could. _If he thinks we're buying this pathetic act bullshit, he's got another thin_ \- Taylor thought scathingly, only to be distracted as leister hurried to his fathers side, offering his support.

"The Endless?" He repeated, frowning as he tried to help his father to the desk chair. Taylor rolled his eyes and sighed silently, shaking his head in disbelief that someone so smart could be so deliberately dense. "What is that? What on  _earth_  are you talking about, father?"

Rourke turned towards Taylor suddenly, lurching forward as if to grab him with both hands. Taylor balked, recoiling instantly away from the man. His concerns over the man he most detested touching him were in vain however, for he'd barely moved, before Estela slugged him hard in the face.

 _"Estela!"_  Aleister cried in disbelief, as Taylor cheered in relief. Rourke toppled backward, crashing through his desk chair, and sprawling to the floor; much to Taylors great displeasure, as it displayed far more of Rourke than he felt comfortable having seen. He grimaced, though a part of him was elated to see Estela pursue the naked man.

"Estela, I advise restraint -" Iris suggested, though Taylor could see the faint hint of an intrigued smirk on her blue lips, as Estela continued to march toward Rourke furiously.

"Taylor,  _do_  something!" Aleister pleaded, and Taylor frowned thoughtfully, pretending to consider it.

"I think Estela has it handled to be honest," he said finally, grinning widely in his amusement. "Aleister, you have at least  _some_  defensive traini-"

"In  _fencing!"_  Aleister cried, his eyes darting between Estela and his father nervously. "Please, Taylor..."

Taylor sighed, groaning as he reluctantly darted in front of Estela and held up his hands towards her. At least I can't see Rourke anymore... He thought, feeling somewhat cheered. "Estela... I  _really don't_  want to stop you..." He confessed quietly, before glancing up at Aleister. "But... Just, hang on. What are you trying to achieve here?" He asked, gently restraining Estela by her shoulders, as she strained to get around him.

"He's responsible for  _all_  of this, Taylor!" Estela cried, her eyes blazing with a fury originating from a grievance far greater than just being stranded on a tropical island.  _Her mother_... He thought suddenly, his heart swelling painfully.  _She thinks he_ \- "It's time he answers for it  _all."_  Estela growled, and Taylors thoughts were lost in a haze of dizziness. He looked from Estela to Aleister, shrugging indecisively as he was unable to deny; she had a point. He started to glance toward Rourke, before remembering the mans nakedness, and swiftly facing the others again.

"Estela... I really,  _really_  want to see you hit him again... But," Taylor sighed, reluctantly shifting the stance he'd learnt from Jake during their sparring match at the beach, which at this point seemed almost a lifetime ago. "I'm  _not_  going anywhere, Estela..."

"Don't make me go through you as easy as I went through Iris, Taylor." Estela growled, her eyes filled with a deep, and dark sense of hatred as they remained locked onto Rourke.

"Estela,  _look_  at me." Taylor said softly, finally convincing Estela to meet his gaze. "I won't let you sink to his level... You're better than that, you know it, I know it;  _he_  probably knows it..." Taylor said, slowly approaching Estela with his palms raised in placation. "Don't let him destroy everything your family..." He paused, swallowing as ge glanced at Aleister, who was too focused on his father to pay attention to their discussion. "Everything your  _mother..._  loved about you." He said slowly, his hands gently grasping hers as she are back in shock. "Rourke  _will_  answer for whatever crimes he's committed. But, first... We need answers, and as much as I would  _love_  to watch you beat the snot out of his overgrown head, we won't be able to  _get_  those answers if I let you kill him now..."

Estela stared at him, her eyes wide as she tried to process the revelations he'd made in his heartfelt plea. After a long pause, she swallowed heavily and stepped back, wrapping her arms around herself as she stood down and averted her gaze.

"Okay..." Taylor said, ignoring the deep sense of guilt in his gut, as he gestured for Aleister to help his father, not wanting to have to see the offensive sight of a naked Rourke again. "We should get him downstairs. We're not getting any answers out of him until he's lucid." He said with a sigh, running his hand through his hair as he tried to calm his fried nerves.

" _Thank you,_  Taylor..." Aleister sighed, hurrying past to help his father to his feet. Taylor watched with a blank stare, as Rourke stumbled to his feet, and slowly began to cross the room to the elevator.

As he passed Taylor and Estela, he let out a delirious whisper.  _"I'm... Sorry... Olivia..."_  Immediately, the mans eyes fluttered closed, and he slumped to the floor in an undignified heap; unconscious, once more. He reached for Estela's hand, gripping it tightly as she tensed, half turning to follow Aleister as he carried him from the office. He held on, until the elevator doors closed, at which point he hastily stepped back from the dark haired girl.

"Estela... I-" he tried to explain, but she lunged for him, trapping him against the desk at an awkward and painful angle.

"You  _wanted_  me to kick his ass, Taylor, I  _saw_  it!" She said in a fierce whisper, her hands balled tightly in his shirt. "Why the  _hell_  did you stop me?!" She demanded, shoving him harder against the desk.

"Because  _no one,_  should have to see their  _parent_  get their ass handed to them!" Taylor snarled with a scowl, driving his arms upwards to break Estela's hold on him and push her backward. "Even someone like Aleister, who for  _some_  reason still feels  _obligated_  to love his  _asshole_  of a father...  _Trust me_ , Estela, if Aleister hadn't been there.; I would  _not_  have got in your way." He fumed, venting his frustration at last. "Rourke is the  _one_  man in the world, I do  _not_  want to spend even the  _smallest_  amount of time around... If I had known that unlocking that password let him out, I would have  _never_  put it in! I would have sooner left him in there to  _rot!_  I-"

 _"Taylor!"_  Estela yelled, drawing him from his ranting as she grabbed him by the shoulders.  _"Breathe!"_  She said, her eyes wide in uneasy concern. Taylor did as she asked, jerking himself free of her and moving away to the window, leaning his hand, and then forehead against the cool glass. "Taylor..? I, I'm sorry..." Estela called hesitantly, slowly making her way around the desk. "I didn't mean-"

"I'm sorry." Taylor said, staring with unseeing eyes at the imposing Mount Atropo. "Rourke brings out the worst in me..." He explained slowly, glancing at Estela as she moved up beside him. "I don't... entirely, know why. I just... I know that I hate him. Like,  _really..._  hate him. Almost as much as you do, for whatever he did to your mother." He said, breathing deeply to help him get a better hold on his emotions.

Estela flinched as she gazed out the window, but Taylor couldn't bring himself to feel any guiltier than he already felt, and so pretended not to notice. "One day, you're going to have to tell me how you know so much about me." She finally said, turning to look at him when he started laughing.

"Join the queue..." He sniggered, between bouts of laughter, glancing over to see the dark haired girl raising a brow at him. "Would it be at all believable if I said, 'you told me in a dream '?" He asked, a lopsided grin on his face.

"You know, that excuse can only carry you so far..." She said, her brow creasing into a frown as she folded her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, but it's still true anyway." Taylor said, winking as he tagged a silent 'ish' on the end. "Come on, we should go see what the others are up to." He said with a sigh, pushing away from the window and throwing an arm around Estela's shoulders, steering her towards the elevator.

"I assume you mean your pilot, by that?" Estela sighed, rolling her eyes as he grinned widely and winked at her again.

"He's just the eye candy..." He said with a chuckle, before turning serious, as he pressed the elevator call button. "But, he  _does_  calm me down." He conceded, as the doors opened and they stepped inside.

They rode down in a silence which was both comfortable and awkward, Taylors arm slowly slipping from around Estela's shoulders as they descended. When they finally stepped out, dawn was breaking, it's cool light barely visible through the glass roof above The Celestial's grand atrium, which was just a short walk from the main lobby. They strolled in together, to find the rest of their friends crowding around the slumbering Everett Rourke under a blanket on a sofa; something Taylor was  _immensely_  relieved to see.

"So...  _that's_  the guy." Zahra said, eyeing Rourke speculatively. Her eyes were calculating, and Taylor noticed fondly that her fingers were twitching toward her pocket, where he knew she kept her favourite penknife.

 _"Mhm."_  Aleister hummed, seemingly lost for words to adequately explain his fathers sudden appearance.

"Dude..." Craig said, nudging Aleister playfully with his elbow. "Your dad is  _shredded._  Isn't he in his fifties..?" He asked, frowning as if unable to believe such an older person could be in such a prime physical condition.

"Oh, so that's where you get your abs!" Grace giggled, as she reached for Aleister's abdomen, only for him to pull away. He laughed openly, a sound which caused everyone to look at him in surprise, before he quickly composed himself.

"Grace, please." Aleister scolded her quietly, flushing pink as Taylor felt a slow grin tug at his lips. "You know how ticklish I am..."

Taylor snorted, his eyes glinting with mischievous intent as they met Aleister's. " _Just talking,_  huh?" He asked pointedly, smirking with glee, as Aleister turned a much darker shade of red.

"The hope is, he can get us outta here when he wakes up." Estela said, her body tense as she glared at the sleeping man. Taylor turned to look at her, his smile fading as she met his eyes briefly.

"Yeah..." He sighed, shaking his head as he looked back at Rourke thoughtfully. "Or he might at least know what's going on, or maybe he's got a helicopter stuck up his ass, or  _something..."_  His throat constricted, unable to force the words past his lips as grief clamped it's tight grip around his heart.

"And, more importantly..." Estela said, resting her hand on his shoulder, seeming to sense what he couldn't say. "He might know something about Diego." She said, meeting his eyes when he glanced up at her gratefully. He gripped her hand, silently thanking her for both her support and her forgiveness over his intervention to stop her killing Rourke. The group nodded, exhausted, and slowly wandered off as the toll of the previous night's ordeal weighed heavily on them.

Taylor sighed, slumping down on a couch beside Sean. Immediately he uncomfortable, and shifted, discreetly putting a seat of space between them by twisting so that he was half laying across the far corner of the sofa.

"Everyone's looking pretty rough, Taylor..." Sean muttered quietly, his eyes concerned as he looked over their tired group. "Maybe we should get some rest..?"

"Hey, I already said so once and you guys chose to wait around down here," Taylor snorted, running his hand through his short hair, scratching his scalp languidly. He sighed, glancing over at everyone as he shifted straight, and leaned forward on his knees, scrubbing his hands over his face tiredly. "Though, to be honest... I don't think anybody's gonna sleep very well until we find out what happened with Diego..." He said, swallowing thickly.

"I know I wouldn't." Sean agreed quietly, reaching as if to pat Taylor on the leg, but Taylor quickly pushed himself to his feet, and stretching awkwardly. "Maybe we oughta rally the troops and come up with a battle plan." The athlete said, withdrawing his hand as if nothing had happened.

"I'll go see what everyone's thinking..." Taylor said quickly, scampering away quickly. He sighed as soon as he was clear of the athletes hearing range, wondering why had had such strange reactions to anything that could be even remotely construed as intimate, as he strolled over to where Zahra, Craig and Raj were laughing by the statue fountain at the exact center of the atrium. He shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside for later, as he quietly joined the others, a small grin already tugging at his lips from their joviality.

"Oh my god, you're  _so_  right!" Zahra cackled, amid loud snickers of laughter. " _It is!_ " She gasped, wiping tears from beneath her eyes as she laughed hard enough that she bent double from the force of it.

"It  _so_  is!" Craig guffawed, one hand in his hair as he leaned against Zahra, and practically choked with laughter.

"Who's what now?" Taylor asked, grinning as the three turned toward him with giggles and wide smiles galore.

 _"Taylor!"_  Raj cheered, as Craig and Zahra looked at each other, and dissolved into giggles once more. "Taylor..." The large boy stage whispered, waving him closer. "Taylor, this is ridiculous! You're gonna love it." Raj said with a giggle, turning Taylor so he was facing the fountain.  _"Look!"_  He said, pointing forward excitedly.

Taylor raised a brow, and surveyed the fountain before him. A marble statue stood on a pedestal at the centre, while engraved around the bottom of the pool, is a circle of Roman numerals. "... What am I supposed to be looking at here, guys?" Taylor asked at last, his grin growing when the three of them fell over each other in another burst of wicked giggles.

"That  _statue,_  bro!" Craig said, gesturing to the centrepiece of the fountain. "In the toga! Can you tell who it's supposed to be..?" He asked leadingly.

Taylor looked back at the statue, frowning as he cast his eyes over it properly, as opposed to the cursory glance he'd given it the first time he'd looked. " _Oh my god_..!" He gasped suddenly, pointing at it in shock as he glanced around the others, who all laughed harder at his blatant disbelief. " _It's... Rourke_!"

" _Ba ha ha_!" Zahra burst out in a loud cackle, drawing in a deep breath as she tried to control herself enough to speak. "I cant  _believe..._  I hadn't noticed that before. The guy put a statue, of  _himself..._  in a  _toga,_  in the middle of his own hotel!" She gasped, choking on air as she tried to catch her breath between wild bouts of laughter.  _"Oh..._  I'm cocky as hell, but I'm not even in this guys  _league!"_  She gasped, before dissolving into nonsensical giggles once more. Taylor joined in as they laughed, watching as they nearly fell on each other, half delirious from exhaustion.

""It's like, does this guy even know how the Roman Empire ended?" Taylor giggled, "with the  _Sack of Rome_!"

" _Oh my god_! Taylor just said  _'sack'!"_  Craig cried, gasping for breath and practically vibrating with the effort to contain his mirth long enough to speak. "I'm  _dying!_  I cant  _breathe!"_  He choked, throwing his arm over his face as he all but cried with laughter.

"Taylor, I don't know if what you just said was funny..." Raj sighed, hiccupping with giggles as he tried to hold on long enough to say his own piece. "I'm probably just crazy right now; but you're the best, and I love you." He said seriously, though the effect was ruined by his immediate snort, which dissolved into a fresh batch of giggles.

Taylor sniggered, grinning widely as Zahra threw an arm over his shoulders. "To get real for a second..." She said, visibly making a huge effort to control herself, as he wide grin repeatedly tried to break free across her face. "I know things are hard right now. But sometimes, people gotta laugh to stay alive." She said, ruffling his hair, before walking off to go flounce onto the sofa by Sean, quickly followed by Raj and Craig.

Taylor shook his head, a final giggle escaping him as he glanced back at the statue of Rourke, before looking around to see who else was nearby. His eyes passed over Michelle, who was checking Quinn over worriedly, and he sobered as he walked over. He found the blonde tending to Quinn on a couch, dabbing her face softly with a cloth. "Is everything... okay?" He asked hesitantly.

"Oh, just a little bloody nose!" Quinn said cheerfully, her eyes drinking as she smiled widely at him. "No big deal!" She added, as she peeked ar Michelle and stuck her tongue out.

"I mean, it was a  _bad_  one..." Michelle defended, her eyes worried as she dabbed more blood from Quinn's face. "It wouldn't stop for awhile, but... I think we're okay now." She said reluctantly, her lips twisting into a disapproving grimace.

"What's up, Taylor?" Quinn asked, her desire to change the subject infinitely obvious to them all. "How are you feeling?"

Taylor frowned, refusing to admit he felt like guilt was eating away at his insides like a termite ate wood. He pasted a false smile on his face, before catching aight of Michelle, as she looked Quinn over with concern. "Quinn, I think you should let Michelle check you over... Look at her, just... Set her poor mind at ease, yeah?" He said, trying to appeal to the redheads sense of friendship.

"Quinn's blood pressure is sub-normal." Iris said, her eyes darting over Quinn with a faint flash, as she scanned her, and frowned at the results. "Weight loss detected. White blood cell count-"

 _"Guuuys!"_  Quinn whined, laughing awkwardly, clearly unsettled by all the attention. "Come on! I'm fine!"

"I think... going through the portal just had a much bigger effect on her than it did the rest of us..." Michelle said, frowning as if she felt something was missing. Taylor gasped, suddenly realising it had to do with whatever illness Quinn carried inside her. "Lemme just take a look at-"

Quinn cut Michelle off, brushing her hand away as the petite blonde reached towards her again. "I said I'm  _fine,_  okay!" She demanded, scowling at them all in frustration.

"Look, just... Listen to her, Quinn. Please?" He asked, and Quinn grimaced as she squirmed in her seat and looked at the floor. He held his breath, until she reluctantly looked up at him, her cheeks puffed out in a pout.

"... Okay, Taylor..." She groused, her eyes accusing but amused as she peered up at him. "For you." She said, blushing as she folded her arms behind her back and bit her lip. Taylor shifted uncomfortably, coughing as he smiled crookedly at her.

"Oh, wont do it for  _me,_  no." Michelle snarked, rolling her eyes as she dud a quick examination over Quinn. "Gotta be for  _Taylor."_  She snorted, peeking up at him in mock annoyance. "Alright, I think you're fine for now... But I've gotta keep an eye on you. Are you gonna let me do that?"

Quinn looked up at Taylor through her long lashes, blushing as she bit her lip. "Yes." She said quietly, her eyes flicking across the room as her cheeks darkened. "I will."

"What are you over here interrupting for anyway, Taylor?" Michelle asked, still sulking over Quinn's obvious preferential treatment as she folded her arms over her chest.

"I..." He coughed, reaching over to move a lock of her hair which had fallen our of formation, as he tried to fight through the cloying guilt which tried to choke hin. "I think we need to get moving on a plan to save Diego... Think you're up to it..?"

Michelle turned to regard Quinn tentatively, exchanging a look with Quinn before she broke out in a smile and pushed to her feet, gently wrapping her arms around Taylor from one side as Quinn latched onto the other. "I think we can handle it..." She said quietly, pressing a kiss to his cheek which made him squirm internally. She and Quinn released him, making their was over to the sofa where Zahra and the others were sitting talking. As soon as they'd turned around, he quickly wiped his cheek, feeling ridiculous at the added sense of guilt which seemed to land on his shoulders from the gesture.

He shook his head at his own inexplicable and irrational body, and turned towards where Grace was comforting Aleister with her hand resting softly on his knee, walking over to where the pale boy say stoically, watching his sleeping father. He felt the confliction in his heart; his sympathy for Aleister's overwhelming relief and sadness, but also consumed by the blazing hatred he carried for Rourke alone. "Hey guys," Taylor said softly as he approached, trying his hardest not to look at Rourke, or acknowledge him in any way. "How are you holding up, Aleister?"

"He's..." Grace hesitated, glancing at Aleister when he didn't immediately reply for himself. "Okay..."

"Does he need me to call him an asshole again?" Taylor asked with a falsely cheerful grin, "because I can do that..." He said, throwing the pale boy a wink when he finally looked up in exasperation.

"Thank you, for your diligence. I'm sure it would have been such a hard service for you to perform." The pale boy quipped, rolling his eyes when Taylor chuckled and waggled his eyebrows.

"The hardest." Taylor said, clicking his tongue as he folded his arms over his chest and smirked at Aleister. "But what can I say, I'm a trooper... I'll take one for the team." He sniggered, winking at the pale boy suggestively.

"Indeed." Aleister intoned, a small twitch of amusement raising the corner of his lips. He looked back to his father, and the twitch faltered, his face falling as he sighed and ran a hand through his dishevelled hair. "Knowing my father's alive is..." He began, swallowing heavily as he shook his head, searching within himself for the right words. "Part of me wished he  _were_  dead." He confessed quietly, and Taylor bit his tongue to keep from offering to satisfy 'that part' of Aleister. "At least then he'd have the excuse to never see me." He sighed, dropping his head into his hand tiredly.

"Aleister..." Grace said, her wide eyes filled with sympathy and understanding the pale boy couldn't see, as he stared at his own lap. "I know, how you feel... My mom, is more similar to  _him_  than you'd think." She sneered, titling her head towards Rourke with her nose wrinkled in distaste. Her expression cleared, softened, as she squeezed his leg gently and encouraged him to meet her gaze. "But I know how much I'd miss her, if I lost her. And... how much I miss her now."

 _"Hmm..."_  Aleister hummed thoughtfully, his eyes trailing over her face carefully as ge swept a loose curl from her cheek.

"Aleister," Taylor said, pausing as he tried to summon the words which would most ring true to the pale boy. After a second of thought, he smiled, and gestured first toward the others, and then to Rourke. "You told us, that you came here to  _face_  your father. To show him, the kind of man you are." He said, spreading his palms suggestively. "Right now, you have the opportunity."

Aleister finally looked up and met Taylors gaze, his eyes flickering with uncertain curiosity.  _"How?"_  He asked in a small voice, utterly unlike himself. "How do I show him the person I've become?"

Taylor grinned, offering his hand to his friend. "By helping me save Diego." He said, beaming at the lake boy as he snorted and rilled his eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Aleister paused a moment longer, before accepting Taylors hand, allowing himself to be pulled to his feet. He set his free hand on Taylors shoulder, clapping him reassuringly. "That should suffice." He said, softly but confidently. He tilted his head slightly, obviously having a small internal debate. "Also, I suppose it is the moral choice... I feel certain Diego would do the same for any of us." He said slowly, as if uncertain of Taylors reaction to the words.

Taylor said nothing, choked by an emotion much thicker than just guilt alone. He swallowed heavily, clapping Aleister in the arm in return as he nodded and offered a weak and watery grin.

"That's my Aleister!" Grace beamed, and Taylor stepped back, as the two linked hands and slowly made their way over to the others. Taylor took a moment to compose himself, refusing to look behind him and see the cause of their problems, lest he decide to take a leaf from Estela's book.

He took a deep breath, and looked around. He spotted Lila, Jake and Sean on the other side of the room, and made his way over, noticing that they were speaking in hurried, hushed tones as he approached them. "Hey guys," he said hesitantly, feeling awkward when they all startled with surprise. "What's happening?"

"Just trying to figure out who it was that could've here this whole time." Jake explained, his eyes trailing over him as if to check he was alright. Taylor smiled reassuringly, though Jake didn't seem entirely convinced, as he frowned and glanced away.

"Who are you  _talking_  about?" Lila whispered furiously, spreading her palms to gesture around them. Taylor noticed her glancing towards Rourke more than once, and he shivered in disgust at the longing and relief in her eyes.

"We've been gone six months, Lila." Sean said with a downcast expression, glancing around the atrium uncomfortably. "And somebody's been spending a lot of time here."

"Iris said she didn't detect anybody else coming to the hotel though..." Jake frowned, running a hand through his hair in agitation.

"Just because she didn't  _notice,_  doesn't mean they weren't  _here."_  Sean said stubbornly, gesturing over his shoulder towards the lobby. "Stuff's moved around all over the place."

"How can you tell?" Taylor asked distractedly, glancing at Lila with a frown as she shifted uncomfortably.

"Photographic memory." Sean said, a wide grin on his face as he winked conspiratorially at him. Taylor folded his arms over his chest, as if to deflect the wink somehow, reminding himself mentally that he was being ridiculous. "It's how I'm able to read defenses." The athlete said with a nonchalant shrug, raising a hand and waving it as if to brush the fact aside. "Point is, it's like someone's been living here... looking for something."

"And, Boy Scout over here," Jake said, gesturing towards Taylor with a crooked grin. "Found that crazy note of instructions, ranting about the 'Hadean Zodiac'."

"And those notes led us to Rourke..." Taylor groused dispassionately, scowling at the floor, wishing he'd never laid eyes on the crazy note. "Maybe whoever has been here, was looking for him..?" He thought aloud.

"I'm just thinking..." Sean said slowly, scratching his chin as he glanced around in concern. "Did people come to rescue us? Did we miss our window, while jumping through time?"

"Trust me, Q.B." Jake snorted, rolling his eyes, and Taylor felt his lips quirk, anticipating the pilots rebuke. "If anyone came to this island looking for us, it's to silence us.  _Permanently."_

"Is that your idea of a silver lining?" Sean asked incredulously, frowning at the pilot in consternation. "That we missed getting  _killed?"_

Jake winked, beaming a wide smile at the athlete which Taylor could see didn't reach the pilots eyes. "Pretty much, yeah." Taylor rolled his eyes, huffing a sigh of both amusement and exasperation, as he folded his arms over his chest.

"I don't understand why you're asking  _me,_  though!" Lila protested, waving her arms frantically.

"Schedules, timetables, shipments..." Sean said, reaching toward Lila imploringly, only for her to recoil quickly. "Anything you know about arrivals to La Huerta, long-term." He pleaded, casting his eyes aside as he shook his head sadly. "We'd only been thinking short-term before, but it's been half a year now..."

"I..." Lila stammered, her eyes wide as she floundered, trying to find the right words. "Lila doesn't know these things off the top of my head!" She gasped, shaking her head rapidly, causing her hair fly around her in a flurry of motion. "Lila's a tour guide!" She cried, her eyes wide as she looked around them desperately.

"Lila speaks in third person when she's panicked..." Taylor muttered, his eyes narrowing in thought, as he watched the perky girls strange reactions.

"Whoa, easy there, Dimples!" Jake said, raising his hands in placation toward her. "Just bouncing ideas around." He said, glancing at Taylor briefly, enough to confirm that he'd noticed her strange behaviour as well.

"What if..." Lila said quickly, desperation plain in her composure as she ran a hand quickly through her hair. "What if its  _Diego?"_  She said suddenly, and Taylor felt a rush of irritation that she would try to use his friend to cover whatever she was so flustered about. "I mean, if I escaped, I would have come here... to wait for everyone..." She said, glancing at Taylor meaningfully.

Jake eyed her sceptically, before nodding slowly, causing Taylors irritation to spike further. "... Honestly, anything's possible." He replied, seeming to pick his words carefully, though Taylor was beyond noticing.

"No, it  _isn't!"_  Taylor snapped, glaring between the two. "If it were Diego, we'd know. _I'_ _d_  know. But d'you know what I know?" He asked, his eyes flicking between Jake and Lila before darting quickly to Sean, as he stood straighter, defiant in his determination. "I know it's  _not,_  Diego. I know that Diego slid through  _my_  fingers... and I  _couldn't_  save him... and I know if he'd escaped, the  _first_  thing he would have done; would be to let us all know that. Not leave crazy notes which led us to freeing  _that_  asshole." He said curtly, jerking his thumb over his shoulder towards the sleeping Rourke. He looked around the group, who were staring at him in wide eyes surprise, and he felt the resurgence of his ever growing sense of guilt. He sighed as he scratched behind his ear, shaking his head as he tried to push away the overwhelming and confusing emotions trying to smother him. "Look, I... I know, we're all drained, but... We've gotta figure out a way to get him back... A.S.A.P..."

"Of  _course!"_  Lila chirped cheerfully, after only a second too long of a pause. "No man left behind! That's my tour guide motto!" She giggled, beaming a wide grin at him.

Jake blinked, staring at the tour guide with wide eyes and a slack jaw. "I should freaking  _hope_  so..!" He finally responded, shaking his head in obvious disbelief, as he turned away and walked towards the others.

Taylor ambled over behind him, Sean and Lila bringing up the rear. He sat heavily on the sofa, closing his eyes and letting his exhaustion consume him briefly, until Diego's sad expression, as his hands slipped free if Taylors, flashed behind his eyelids. He quickly snapped his eyes open, and sat up straight, pressing his finger against his temple as if to try and massage the image from his memory. As Sean sat down opposite him, completing their circle; he looked up, only for the athlete to nod for him to take the lead.

Taylor swallowed thickly, looking around at the expectant faces with mounting trepidation as he tried to find the words to begin. "Thanks to the time portal..." He said slowly, raising a hand to his chest and wincing briefly, as he felt a sharp stab if guilt strike his heart. "I've left Diego out there with the Vaanti, for six months..."

 _"We."_  Jake said from beside him, him fingers brushing against Taylors on the seat lightly, but not actually grasping them. Taylor turned towards the pilot, whom he found was watching him surreptitiously from the corner of his eyes. "Pretty sure you meant to say  _we_  left him, Boy Scout..." He said with a sly wink.

"I..." Taylor swallowed heavily, his fingers pushing back for Jake's as he accepted their subtle offer of courage. He cleared his throat and nodded, looking around the waiting faces around him.  _"We,_  need to get him back...  _Now."_

"Easier said than done." Zahra said, twirling a maroon strand of hair around her finger thoughtfully. "How are we supposed to pull off a rescue like this?"

"We hunt down some Vaanti ass, and make 'em regret the day they ever messed with us!" Craig growled, scowling towards the sleeping Rourke as if were to blame for the entire situation.  _Which he kinda is.._. Taylor thought with a hum, his fingers curling into the seat below them as a hot flush of anger trickled through him.

" _Mrrm-rmph!"_  Furball yipped in agreement, snuffling over to curl at Taylors feet. He smiled tiredly and leaned forward, scratching his ears affectionately.

"We don't even know where they  _are,_  Rambo." Zahra scoffed, rolling her eyes at his bravado.

"I vote for an expedition." Sean offered hopefully, glancing around with a small and encouraging grin. "Something to get a read on our new situation and pick up the trail."

"A six month old trail." Jake snorted, rolling his eyes as he looked away. "It's ice cold." He said despondently.

"Well, what do  _you_  think, Jake?" Sean asked acerbically, sneering at the pilot, who turned to the athlete with a scowl.

"I think he's dead." He growled, his expression immediately dissolving into a guilty apology as Taylor gasped and recoiled from him as if struck. "I mean... Ah,  _shit..."_  He muttered, his eyes guilty and expression torn, as he ran a hand through his hair distractedly. "Look, it's a possibility. And at this point? A  _likely_  one; that we all have to face..." He explained, lowering his eyes to the floor as Taylor refused to meet his gaze.

"Clearly it's easy for  _you_  to quit on people." Sean growled, his hands balling into fists at his sides. "How long before you decide  _we're_  as good as dead too?" He demanded fiercely, glaring at the pilot viciously.

"Honestly, man, that happened as  _soon_  as we walked into this damn building." Jake snarled, his frustration over his slip, amplifying his short temper.

Sean opened his mouth to reply, but Taylor beat him to it. "Just  _stop."_  He said quietly, refusing to meet anyone's gaze as he stared at his feet. "Everyone is entitled to their opinion... Don't condemn Jake for things you don't understand about his past." He said, glancing at Sean, before quickly darting his eyes to Jake as well, though he hurried to return his eyes to his feet. "And stop trying to wind him up, Top Gun. Fighting won't solve anything right now." He muttered, though he knew the pilot heard him when he sighed heavily. Sean seemed about to reply, but instead released a heavy breath through his nose, reluctantly doing as Taylor had asked.

"We  _will_  be as good as dead, if we go out there without a plan or a destination." Estela said, glancing at Taylor before nodding towards Jake, conceding his point as he winced at the reminder.

"Fair point." Taylor sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, before running his hand over his eyes tiredly. "Quinn?" He asked, turning toward the redhead as a deep sense of melancholy and guilt swirled endlessly within his gut.

"I'll follow your lead, Taylor... I'm just..." She said, shrugging her shoulders as she paused and bit her lip nervously. "I'm afraid of losing  _more_  of us." Taylor repressed a tired sigh, wishing that everyone would take the lead for once, so he could allow himself to revel in his guilt awhile. Instead he shoved it deeper inside himself, squashing it as tightly as he could into his gut, while taking a deep breath to steady himself.

"Alright," he said, clapping his hands together in a show of determination he only partially felt. "Then, the best thing we can do, is try to find some answers here first..." He said, looking around the group to see some of the others perking considerably now they had a plan, while others seemed hesitant. "Something that'll tell us where the Vaanti took Diego." He pressed on, shaking his head and looking to the floor as Sean got to his feet and clapped his hands loudly.

"Okay, people." The athlete said, looking around to meet everyone's gaze individually, except Taylor, who refused to raise his eyes. "I know it's been a long,  _long_  day, but we've got people counting on us... Freshen up a little, but then; we've gotta search this place up and down."

"What about  _him..?"_  Zahra asked with a sneer, gesturing with her chin towards Rourke's unconscious form, motionless on the couch.

"I, uh..." Sean said slowly, glancing towards Aleister quickly. "I don't think he's going anywhere." He coughed, and after an awkward pause, the group began to disperse.

Taylor pushed to his feet, avoiding everyone's sympathetic gaze's as he strode purposefully towards the elevator. He chewed his lip, as he pressed the call button, his body trembling with the effort to contain his surging emotions. "Taylor-" he closed his eyes, ignoring the voice behind him, as he stepped through the barely opened elevator doors.  _"Taylor,_  I didn't mean-"

"Yeah, you did." Taylor said tiredly, finally opening his eyes as he turned to see Jake watching him with a broken expression. "It's okay." He said, smiling softly as he reached for the penthouse button. "I  _know..._  I just, need a minute." He said, his eyes watering as he turned his face to the ceiling with a small gasp.

"Taylor -"

"I'll be back soon." He said, pressing the button as he looked forward again, watching as the pilot turned and walked away dejectedly.

"Yo, Jake," Raj called, waving for the pilot to join him. "We're gonna look around outside fo-"

"Have fun with that," Jake called back, never breaking his stride or even looking at the group. "I'm gonna go search the damn bar." He growled, waving at them without looking over.

Taylor felt his heart constrict, and before he could think it through, he slammed his foot over the doors and prevented them from closing.  _"Jake!"_  He called, biting his lip as the pilot froze, almost to the fountain on his path to the nearest stairwell. His eyes were guarded as he looked over, his long hair hiding half his face. "Save me a drink?" Taylor called, his heart catching on a beat, as the pilot snorted and finally raised his head. He pushed his hair back, as he smirked across the room at him.

"Sure thing, Boy Scout." He said, his gaze melting into something soft, his relief palpable in his eyes. "Eighth floor,  _pard'ner."_  He sniggered, as Taylor moved back into the elevator, pressing the penthouse button again. The doors immediately slid together, closing just as Jake saluted him and threw him a wink.

Taylor leaned against the back of the elevator, a small curl to his lips as some of the tumultuous emotions churning in his gut finally settled. He sighed, as the warmth of Jake's reassurance spread through him, slowly calming his twitching nerves. He raised a hand to his chest, biting his lip at the way his heart raced beneath his fingers. When the doors opened to the penthouse level, Taylor walked down the hall to his room with a lightness he didn't remember feeling before. He shivered as he opened the door to his room, immediately feeling a cool sea breeze against his skin.

He looked over to the window on the far aide of his room, which was shattered from where Varyyn had rappelled through the glass. "Oh...  _Right."_  He murmured, his heart sinking again as he recalled with a wince, the rattle of his final breath in his chest. "That happened..." He rubbed his chest absently, frowning as he looked around, noticing that a few leaves had managed to blow in over the past six months. He scowled, when he saw a seagull perched comfortably on the window sill. "Go on, get outta here!" He said, shooing the bird away as it squawked at him indignantly. The gull flapped off over the sea, as Taylor scowled after it, before he finally walked into his bathroom.

He turned on the sink, and splashed some ice-cold water on his face. He shivered, gasping, as the water trickled over his cheeks. He splashed his face again, and quickly a third time, wiping his eyes and clearing the sticky sleep from the corners. He hovered over the sink a second, relishing the sharp shiver which raced down his spine, awakening and rejuvenating his tired body. He finally straightened, looking up into the mirror only to jerk back into the wall behind him, his eyes wide in shock.

 _"Man!"_  Diego laughed, his eyes warm as he beamed a wide grin at him. "And here I thought  _I_  looked like hell!" Taylor swallowed heavily, his eyes welling with tears as he rushed toward the mirror, his hand colliding with the glass painfully as Diego vanished with a chuckle. He gasped, and whipped around, only to find nobody there.

He staggered to his bedroom, collapsing to his ass on the soft mattress, with a great gushing sigh. "Guilt hallucinations..." He said, his voice trembling as he ran a hand over his mouth. He closed his eyes and shook his head, muttering behind his hand.  _"Not_  a good sign." He flopped back on his bed, staring at the canopy as he allowed his self pity and guilt to consume him for a moment. He remembered the desperate ache in his heart, as Diego's hands slipped through his own; the way Diego's eyes had shone with an abject fear. He squeezed his eyes shut, his hand clutching at the sheets beneath him, as he sucked in a deep breath and allowed his misery to wash over him.

As he lay on his back, awash with his guilt and anguish, other memories began to nudge at his memory. He bit his lip, as he felt phantom fingers skim his sides. He recalled the pilots lips against his throat, as a wave of heat rushed through him, pushing back the guilt and despondency. He opened his eyes, biting his lip as he felt a blush flame across his cheeks; recalling the insistent press of the pilot against, and inside him. He sat quickly, his heart giddy with excitement; knowing the only thing he wanted was to see the pilot again.

He darted back to his mirror, studying himself for a moment and considering his crumpled shirt. "I guess it has been one hell of a day..." He murmured, wrinkling his nose at his wrinkled red shirt. "Twenty four hours ago, we were heading to the marina to look for a boat." He said, looking out the window as he stepped back into the bedroom. He shook his head, and pulled his shirt over his head, hesitating as he reached for another from his messy suitcase. "Maybe... I should change into-" he cut himself off, glancing out the doorway as he considered for a moment.

He puffed out a great sigh, before striding into the hall strolling determinedly to Diego's room and raising his hand to know without thinking. He slowly lowered his hand to the knob, hesitating, before twisting sharply and entering his best friends long abandoned room. He laughed, as he saw red petals strewn everywhere, and a hot tub sat hidden away on a balcony. "Oh, you are  _never_  hearing the end of this Diego..." He chuckled, looking around the honeymoon suite with a sense of amusement, firmly keeping the guilt at bay by imagining his friend in such comfort. He shook his head, and noticed his adventurers shirt draped across the back of the large white sofa. "Thanks, buddy..." He murmured, a small grin on his lips as he grabbed his top and pulled it over his head, quickly strapping his shoulder harness into place over it and finally; looping his coil of rope across his chest. He checked his reflection in Diego's mirror, taking a deep breath as he looked around the room a final time. "See you soon, Diego..." He whispered, as he walked out the room and shut the door quietly.

With a renewed sense of purpose, Taylor made his way swiftly through the hall, calling the elevator and stepping inside upon its arrival. His foot tapped a nervous beat against the floor as he descended, far too slow for his liking. Upon reaching the lobby, he darted between the barely opened doors, hurrying through the atrium to the stairwell he'd seen Jake head towards. He raced up the stairs, hopping two at a time, and dashed through the door on the eighth floor. He paused, catching his breath, as hw looked both ways for something which spoke of a bar.  _How the hell did I not end up here with Zahra and Craig?_  He wondered briefly, before shrugging and deciding to check right first, and head the other way if he didn't find it. After only a half minute of uncertain walking, he found what seemed to be a cowboy themed bar, and he laughed, recalling Jake's subtle hint. He snorted, and stepped inside, his heart in his throat as a country ballad played on the jukebox; to no one. He frowned, stepping up to a Rodeo Bull Machine as he looked around, but found no sign of the pilot.

"Uh, Jake?" He called uncertainly, jumping and then sniggering behind his hand, as he heard a hard smack and the telltale shattering of glass from behind the bar.

 _"Ow, damn!"_  He heard Jake curse, as he heard him shuffling around behind the bar. " _That hurt..._ " Taylor giggled, biting his lip to contain the sound as best he could.

"You okay back there..?" He called, hiding a grin as Jake appeared behind the bar, wide eyed and wincing as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah," he muttered, scowling at the bar before looking back up at Taylor quickly. "Just about gave myself concussion bumping my head, but, I'm great." He said, wincing again as he brushed the sore area on his head.

"Well," Taylor said, clicking his tongue and beaming a wide smile at the pilot, as he leaned against the Rodeo Bull Ring. "That's what happen when you get a big head about everything." He sniggered.

"What can I say?" Jake said, sliding a cocky grin onto his face as he winked at Taylor. "My ego is both a gift and a curse, Boy Scout." He paused, his eyes travelling over Taylors outfit, and his smile softened. "We shooting a new  _Indiana Jones_  sequel I don't know about?"

"Just making sure I cover my bases," Taylor quipped, his heart skipping a beat as Jake's eyes raked over him once more. "I just want to be prepared." He said with a grin.

"Hey, that's good advice." Jake agreed, his eyes lingering on Taylors hips, and Taylor wondered with a small flush of warmth, whether the pilot was recalling the way he'd snugly fit against them. "I wish someone had told  _me_  to be prepared for how good you look in that..." The pilot said, snapping out of whatever thought he'd been trapped in.

"So, what'd you dig up behind the bar?" Taylor asked, gesturing to where the pilot had bumped his head. "I'm guessing your  _not_  looking for clues about where the Vaanti took Diego back there..?" He said pointedly, raising a brow.

"Oh, yeah, see..." Jake said, stepping back and gesturing at the rows of bottles beneath the bar. "I think, they left their address, at the bottom of one of these bottles!" He said, leaning forward to cup his mouth with one hand in a loud stage whisper as he continued. "Only one way to find out which one..." He said, smirking crookedly and winking exaggeratedly. Taylors heart faltered, at the pain and sadness the pilot couldn't completely hide in his eyes.

"Jake..." Taylor murmured, pushing away from the Rodeo Ring, as he shifted his weight, but as if sensing his intention, Jake immediately lowered his eyes and stepped back.

"Ya know, did somebody steal some of the booze?" He asked lightly, pointedly locking his gaze on the lower shelves as he narrowed his eyes and trailed a finger through the air. "Used to be this bottle of Raleigh Dewitt Gold whiskey sittin' here. Been sayin' I was savin' it for when things  _really_  went down the crapper-"

 _"Jake-"_  Taylor tried again, cautiously stepping closer to the bar, but Jake just continued to ramble louder, the words almost desperately tumbling from his lips.

"-and, well, I think it's about time." The pilot chuckled dryly, the sound close to hysteric as he pointed in mock outrage to an empty bottle. "But  _look,_  somebody guzzled the whole thing! It's empty-"

 _"Jake!"_  Taylor cried, and finally, Jake shut up. The pilot bit his lip, staring at the floor in determination not to meet Taylors eyes again. Taylor frowned, wondering if it was guilt over his outburst with the group, but instead another though pushed its way into his mind. A thought which made his heart melt with affection, sympathy, and utter adoration.

"I'm worried about him too..." Taylor said, taking a step closer to the bar as Jake winced. "You know that... But, even so... You know that I'm here for  _you,_  right? No matter what."

"I know you are, Boy Scout." Jake sighed, finally glancing up to meet Taylors eyes with a broken expression. "That's the damn problem. You're all... ' _here for me'._ " He said with obvious distress, grimacing, before dropping out of sight behind the bar. Taylor hesitated, his heart swelling in his chest, before he slowly walked around the end of the bar, only to find the pilot sitting on the floor. He bit his lip, before scooting in beside him, pressing close against his side.

For a moment they said nothing, content to just sit in each others comforting presence. Taylor watched Jake, as he seemed to struggle with whatever was eating at him inside, and he waited patiently for him to find the words. When he finally did, they escaped him in such a rush, Taylor wondered how long he'd really been waiting to say them.

"I ain't given a damn about people in a  _long_  time, Boy Scout..." Jake confessed quickly, his chest heaving as the weight of the words finally left his shoulders. "Then  _you_  came along, and pretty much blew all that whole plan, straight to hell." He snorted, rolling his eyes in exasperation as his fingers toyed with his dog tags above his knees. "Anyway, thanks to  _you,_  I'm finding myself all torn up inside over your gang of Little Rascals." He tried to say scathingly, though there was no real heat behind his words. He threw Taylor a brief sidelong scowl, before sighing in resignation. "And it's all  _your_  fault."

 _"My_  fault?" Taylor choked, his eyes wide as he tried not to laugh, "How do you figure that?" He asked, covering his lips with his hand to hide the insistent tug of his lips.

Jake snorted a laugh and turned to look at him at last. Taylor dropped his hand, his eyes drinking in the pilots visage, upon realising how close their faces were. Strands of Jake's sandy brown hair fall across his eyes, which seemed to shine in the bars low lighting. "Not sure if you noticed last night," Jake said slowly, his clear eyes meeting Taylors with sincerity, despite his cocky grin. "But... you  _kinda_  blew my mind."

 _"Oh,"_  Taylor said quietly, his small grin blossoming into a beaming smile, as his heart began to race wildly in his chest. "I  _definitely_  noticed." He said at last, after a pause which was slightly too long to have been anything other than meaningful. "Well, uh..." He coughed, clearing his throat as he felt his cheeks blaze with heat. "If it helps... the uh, mind blowing..? Was mutual..." He said awkwardly, biting his lip as he looked over at Jake, whose face was so close he could see the lights catching on his eyelashes.

For a moment, he stared, his heart pounding a staccato beat in his chest. He licked his lips, and took a deep stabilizing breath, before he leaned into Jake. Their lips met softly and the deep breath he'd taken seemed to evaporate entirely, as he pulled back, just an inch to meet Jake's eyes. The pilot stared back at him, clear blue locked into dark. Suddenly, as if he'd heard a starting gun on a race line, the pilot surged forward. They collapsed into one another, their lips meeting in a frenzy of passion.

 _"Mmmm!"_  Taylor groaned, as Jake's hand curled around his cheek, pulling him closer as his tongue darted into his mouth. He inhaled deeply through his nose, twisting in his attempt to press more of himself against the pilot, as Jake devoured his lips in a hungry kiss. He felt heat curling in his groin, blood rushing eagerly to flood his awakening cock. He rose a hand to Jake's hair, his fingers curling in the long strands, tugging him closer; harder, against him.

He nipped at Jake's lip, causing the pilot to gasp, and allowing his tongue to dive into the pilots mouth; exploring the new territory eagerly.  _"Mmm!"_  He hummed, as Jake shifted to his knees, tugging Taylor forward onto his lap. For a moment, he was content to remain there, his stomach seeming to float as heat curled through him. He experimentally rolled his hips down against Jake's and giggled against the pilots lips when he growled, his hands flying to Taylors ass and encouraging him to repeat the gesture. Taylor once more rolled his hips, grinding his burgeoning arousal against the undeniable erection of his pilot, which was barely concealed by the fabrics between them. He gasped for air as Jake broke away from his lips with a heady groan, his breath coming in rapid pants as he arched his neck, allowing the pilot trailed hot, urgent kisses along his jaw.

Jake rocked back on his feet, and Taylor yelped, wrapping his arms around the pilots shoulders, his thighs clutching tightly around his waist as Jake pushed to his feet and picked him up with ease, sitting him on the edge of the bar. Jake's mouth never left his throat, his stubble tickling as he pressed fervent, open mouthed kisses against the soft flesh.  _"Yes..."_  Taylor mumbled, as his heart raced with the rushing emotions which flooded through his rapidly overheating body. He gasped, feeling a rush of heat spiral through his gut, sliding his hands under Jake's jacket, and yanking it in uneven bursts down the pilots arms.

Jake's hands slid from his ass to under his shirt, toying with the hem as his fingers explored his stomach gently. Taylor shivered, biting his lip as Jake's kisses trailed back up his jaw. "Does this mean we're-" the pilot began in a mumble, and Taylor nodded urgently, trying to arch his body closer against Jake's.

"-Yeah." He gasped, as his cock ground against the pilot, though sadly confined within his rapidly tightening pants.

"And, it's not like-" Jake hummed, losing himself as he buried his face against Taylors throat, his teeth scraping lightly across the sensitive pulse point.

"-No." Taylor murmured, his hands clawing at Jake's shirt, as he began to work on rolling it up the pilots torso, quickly disposing of it over his head.

 _"Hmm,"_  Jake hummed, clearly pleased by whatever half assed conversation they'd tried to establish. "Cool." He whispered, allowing Taylor to pull his shirt over his head, before surging forward to claim his lips in a passionate kiss. He slowly rolled Taylors shirt up, but pulled back when his hands found the rope and shoulder harness, scowling at the extra layers. "The rope can stay," he said with a teasing wink, although he hooked it over Taylors head and tossed it to the floor regardless. "But, the rest of this has  _got to go."_  He demanded, quickly unstrapping the harness and tossing it aside, before practically ripping Taylors shirt over his head.

 _"Mmm!"_  Taylor groaned, as their bare chests collided, his racing heart beating against Jake's, as the pilot pressed forward and stole his breath, with another searing kiss. His tongue swept across Taylors lips, parting them and darting through to chase Taylors tongue eagerly. His fingers explored Taylors exposed sides, trailing lightly down his ribs, before curling around to his stomach. His hands slowly dropped to his lap, palming at his cock firmly, before beginning to fumble with his trouser button and fly.

Taylor tore his lips free from Jake's, resting their foreheads together as his hands reached for the pilots waistband, their eyes locking in an intimate gaze which spoke clearly of their intentions. Jake pressed his lips against Taylors once more, quickly moving to trail hot kisses along his jaw and down his throat. He kissed Taylors chest, his tongue sweeping over each new area briefly as he worked his way down, his hands finally managing to release the button and fly of his trousers. Taylor took a deep breath, steeling himself as his body trembled.

 _"Hey!"_  Zahra's voices ringing loudly through the hotel made them both jump, freezing in shock of such a sudden interruption.

Taylors mind screamed in denial as his body strained upward towards Jake, who almost whined in his own denial, as he lingered with his lips hovering over Taylors navel. "No, no,  _no..."_  Taylor heard him murmur, and he almost let free a hysterical giggle, but instead bit his lip to contain the sound.

" _You guys are gonna wanna see this_!" Zahra called again, as Taylor slowly raised his hands, carding them through Jake's long sandy hair as he tried to catch his breath, and clear his mind of the lustful fog devouring it.

Jake groaned, as Taylor tried to slam the brakes on his racing heart. However, with Jake's body pressed tightly against his own, their skin hot and sweat slicked from their desires; his body and heart were firmly rebuffing his efforts. "Zahra must hate me..." Jake muttered, kissing Taylors stomach again longingly. "She must really..." He paused, to press another kiss just below his chest.  _"Really..."_  He finally gave up, burying his face against Taylors abdomen and letting his lips graze the sensitive skin as he grumbled to himself. " _Hate me_..."

Taylor giggled, shifting so he could gently tug Jake's hair and make him remove his face from his body, before immediately leaning down to capture his lips in a heated kiss. His tongue surged into the pilots mouth, hungrily licking against his own slick appendage. "Oh now, see that's just plain  _mean,_  Boy Scout..." Jake murmured as he drew back, lips brushing against lips. Taylors jaw slackened slightly, when he ground his hips up against Jake's evident arousal. The pilots fingers gripped his thighs, as Jake growled and sealed their lips together once more, both tugging him closer and trying to push him away.

 _"Guys!"_  Zahra called again, and Taylor tore his lips free of Jake's to half turn towards the doors.

" _Is anyone dead_?" Taylor yelled, leaning away from Jake so his voice might carry further. The pilot snickered at his question, pressing a small, and light kiss to his hip.

 _"...No..?"_  Zahra called back uncertainly, and Taylor would have laughed if not for the way Jake's hands slid lower on his thighs. Instead he tightened his grip on Jake's hair, and bit his lip against the small groan which was clawing its way up his throat.

 _"Is, **uh..."**_  He gasped, as one of Jake's hands came to rest on his ass, the other reaching again for his waistband. The pilot peeked up at him mischievously, as he rolled the fabric down slightly and pressed a kiss beneath it.  **"** _ **Ah!**  Is, anyone  **about**  to die_?" He cried, biting his lip hard to contain himself, as Jake yanked at his trousers, shifting them looser under his ass and freeing his crotch further.

 _"...No..?"_  Zahra called again, and Taylor would have been terrified of the irritated warning in the girls voice, if Jake hadn't pressed his tongue to Taylors navel, slowly kissing and licking his way downward.

" _Then, **theoretically**  we could do this in say... An hour_..?" Jakes eyes flicked up to his, as he pressed a firm kiss to his arousal through its cloth confines, and Taylor gasped as he felt a surge of blood in his cock.  _"Or two... two's good_..." He cried, unable to bite back the small whimper of desire that left his throat, as his and Jake's eyes locked.

"...  _Taylor, are you_ -" Zahra called hesitantly, as if afraid of whatever answer he might give.

 **"** _ **Tired!**  Very, very,  **very**  tired! So tired! We should  **all**  rest, right now_!" Taylor babbled, his body rising toward Jake, as the pilot slid his hands beneath his trousers, hooking them down his hips as he lifted him from the bar briefly. Taylor gasped, raising a hand to his mouth and biting it hard to silence himself as Jake gently palmed his now freed cock. The pilot leaned forward, nudging his hand aside with his nose, and capturing Taylors lips in a desperate and messy kiss. His tongue was demanding against Taylors, hungry and urgent as his hand slowly curled around his cock.

 _"Mmm!"_  Taylor gasped, as Jake's fingers teased the hard flesh, eliciting tiny shivers with every ripple of pleasure which washed over him.  _"Jake..!"_  He murmured, tilting his face to the ceiling as Jake again dipped his lips to his throat, slowly trailing hot kisses down to his collarbone. Taylor gasped, arching as Jake's tongue flicked over his nipple briefly, his back arching toward the pilot as he continued to kiss and lick his way lower.  _"Nnh!"_  Taylor cried, immediately biting his lip, as Jake placed a soft kiss to the head of his cock. His gut swirled with heated desire, one hand tightening in Jake's hair, as his other returned to his lips to silence himself.

"Don't hide anything from me..." Jake murmured, his eyes locked on Taylor. His free hand rose to gently push Taylors hand aside, lacing their fingers briefly before lowering it to grip the edge of the bar tightly, before it returned to Taylors thigh. His other gently stroked Taylor, drawing a keening moan from him, as his body arched towards Jake. "I want to hear  _every,"_  the pilot drawled, pressing an open mouthed kiss to the side of his hard cock. "Kind of sound, you can make..." Hr whispered, as he wrapped his lips around the head of Taylors. and flicked his tongue across the slit.

" _Nnh! Jake_!" Taylor gasped, his fingers white as he gripped the edge of the bar hard. He looked down to see Jake utterly focused on his cock, his tongue tracing the swollen flesh to its base, where he nuzzled and gently sucked his balls. "Ah!" He cried, his hand fisting Jake's hair as his jaw fell slack, his eyes wide as Jake kissed his way back along his cock.

"Ya know," Jake said, leaning up and press a soft kiss to Taylors jaw. Taylor swiftly twisted, stealing an urgent kiss from the pilot, before he drew away with a chuckle. "You make some  _beautiful_  noises..." The pilot teased, his free hand curling around the back of Taylors neck, as he pressed their chests together and claimed a deep and demanding kiss. Taylor groaned, his body writhing in its attempt to press ever closer against his pilot. He shivered, as Jake stroked his cock slowly between them, eagerly swallowing any sounds he made.

"Less talking, more," Taylor murmured, pleading as he whispered against the pilots lips.  _"More!"_  He finished weakly, words failing him as Jake bit his lower lip lightly. He leaned forward, to seal their lips together, but Jake ducked to press a kiss to his chest instead.

"Hmm..." Jake hummed, as he moved lower, no longer teasing as he parted his lips around Taylors cock and sank gently around him.

 _"Whoa..!"_  Taylor gasped, drawing in a deep breath as his hips rolled towards Jake. The pilot chuckled, the sound reverberating through Taylors cock and making him choke, as Jake's free hand fell to his hip to prevent him moving.  _"Nnh!"_  He gasped, his fingers splaying through Jake's hair, while his other hand gripped the bar tightly.

Jake dipped slowly, sucking Taylor deeper into his mouth before drawing back, relishing the incoherent murmurs and babblings Taylor made unconsciously. His tongue swept against the hard flesh, as he hallowed his cheeks, and bobbed his head repeatedly along Taylors erection. His hand drifted lower, gently cupping and massaging his balls, as he alternated between quick and languid sucks around Taylors twitching cock.

 _"Hhn!"_  Taylor choked, biting his lip hard as Jake swallowed around him. He leaned back, shifting a leg to press against the pilots ignored erection, and groaning when Jake hummed his approval around his sensitive cock. He stared down at where Jake continued to suck his cock in a steady rhythm, his body tensing and relaxing with each wave of pleasure which rolled through him.  _"Jake..."_  He whispered, his fingers dragging lightly against the pilots scalp as he sighed and tried once more to rock his hips upwards.

Jake hummed around his cock, his clear eyes hazed with lust, as they darted up and locked onto Taylors.  _"Oh..."_  Taylor murmured, his heart crashing wildly in his chest, as a rush of fire spiraled through him and raced toward his cock. He gasped, struggling to keep his eyes open and locked onto Jake's, as his mind was swept away into bliss. He bit his lip as he tensed, his cock pulsing as his orgasm rocked through his body like a wave. He whimpered, though he would forever deny it later, as Jake merely sucked his cock deeper into his mouth; collecting his seed, and swallowing as he slowly withdrew, when Taylors orgasm ebbed.

Taylor trembled with after shocks from his orgasm, worrying his lip as Jake slowly kissed his way up his body. The pilot wrapped an arm around his waist, his other hand at the back of Taylors thigh, tugging him close so he could feel Jake's own arousal rut against him through his trousers. "Hmm, that... was an expression I  _definitely_  wanna on ya see again, Boy Scout..." Jake murmured, as his hot kisses pressed to Taylors throat.

Taylor swallowed thickly, staring blankly at the ceiling as the pilots kisses tickled beneath his jaw, a warmth settling within his chest as he recalled the image of Jake staring up at him so intently.  _"Hmm,"_  he hummed contently, as Jake's lips pressed gently to his own. He smiled, his hands pulling him closer, as he rolled his hips up against his pilots still covered erection. Jake groaned quietly, pressing forward as his lips parted, sliding his tongue against Taylors in a slow but hungry kiss. Taylor wrapped his arms around Jake's shoulders as he leaned forward, slipping his hips from the edge of the bar, and pressing himself firmly against the pilot; forcing him to lean back against the other side of the bar. "You know," he said quietly, smirking as he pulled away from Jake with a sigh. "We should probably go see what's up..." He said, barely able to repress his snigger, as Jake's jaw dropped in shock.

He snorted, and surged forward, claiming Jake's lips in a passionate kiss which left no doubt about his intentions. He arched himself closer, as his hands dropped to the pilots waistband, quickly freeing and cupping his hard cock.

"Hmm..." Jake hummed in approval as Taylor nipped his lip, sucking it between his own, as one hand caressed Jake's leaking erection and his other dropped to his balls. Taylor stepped back, pressing a final chaste kiss to his pilots lips, before he sank to his knees and looked up. "Okay,  _that..."_  The pilot said, his eyes wide as he ran a hand through his hair before grabbing the bar behind him. "That's...  _yeah. That..."_  He mumbled, as Taylor kissed his cock, his brow raising as he watched Jake swallow heavily.

Taylor lowered his gaze, his eyes tracing the pilots hard flesh as he licked his lower lip and leaned forward to press a fervent kiss against the tip, before tentatively parting them around the head.  _"Hff!"_  Jake groaned, as Taylor slowly sank his mouth lower around his cock, and hummed with satisfaction. He drew back, his tongue flat against the underside of his pilots cock, eliciting a growl as Jake curled one hand around the back of his neck, his fingers splayed wide through his hair as he caressed him in what could have been either affection; or encouragement.

Taylor hummed, his lips caressing back and forth along Jake's straining erection, a she bobbed his head and varied his suction. He sucked slowly, as he sank lower over the hard flesh, his hands massaging the pilots balls gently. As he withdrew, he hallowed his cheeks and sucked deeply, quickly swallowing; before repeating.  _"Holy..._ shit, Boy Scout..." Jake murmured, his breathing ragged as he struggled with the effort to not to move.

Taylor chuckled deep in his throat, and Jake hissed at the vibrations, narrowing his eyes as Taylor looked up at him innocently. He arched tentatively, and Taylor groaned, his eyelashes fluttering against his cheeks lightly, as Jake's hips rocked forward slightly. Jake's hand tightened at the back of his neck briefly, sliding down over his shoulders, before slipping higher into his hair. Jake rolled his hips forward again, as Taylor sank lower on his cock.  _"Ah..!"_  He cried, as Taylor swallowed around him, sucking him eagerly as he rocked against him. "Taylor..." He murmured, their eyes locking as Taylor pressed his cock to the back of his throat, and hummed.  _"Fuck..."_  Jake gasped, his eyes wide as Taylor bobbed his head quickly, his tongue curling around the pilots hard and twitching cock.

Taylor closed his eyes as Jake's head fell back, swallowing around the pilots cock as it began to pulse, ejecting warm fluid into his mouth. He wrinkled his nose at the sudden salty taste, but swallowed and sucked at the pilot until he was sated, pressing a final kiss to his throbbing cock as he released him.  _"Hmm..."_  Taylor hummed, as Jake sank to his knees, his hands immediately cupping Taylors cheeks and pulling him into a lazy kiss. Taylor gripped the pilots arms, his tongue twirling against Jake's, as a sense of contentment and belonging spread through him.

"Ya really are something else, ya know that, Boy Scout?" Jake muttered, his lips brushing across Taylors cheek lightly.

Taylor sniggered, grinning goofily as he waggled his brows. "Told you, Top Gun." He giggled, his forehead resting against Jake's shoulder as he tried to hide the grin he couldn't fight from his face. "Mind blowing was mutual, so I figured any uh, actual,  _blowing_  should be too..."

Jake snorted, drawing back with a roll of his eyes as Taylor sniggered quietly and shifted so he could lean his back against Jake's chest. The pilot draped an arm around his waist, his cheek resting atop his head as they caught their breath in contented silence. Taylor eyed the shelf before him sleepily, noticing the empty bottle of whiskey Jake had been sulking over, as well as another bottle, pushed against the back of the bottom shelf. He reached toward and snagged the bottle, giggling as he held it up for Jake. "Somebody order some Raleigh Dewitt Gold? 'For when the shit  _really_  hit the fan'?"

"I think you got it wrong there, Boy Scout; I definitely said 'down the crapper'..." Jake quipped dryly, taking the bottle as Taylor snorted in amusement.

"Right, of course." He said, rolling his eyes fondly as Jake took his hand and laced their fingers together. "My mistake." He frowned as Jake returned the bottle to the shelf, twisting to look at the pilot. "I thought you wanted to drink it now?" He said confusedly.

 _"Hmm,"_  Jake hummed thoughtfully, shaking his head as he snorted and pressed a kiss to Taylors temple. "Guess I found somethin' better. Besides, can't really say everythin' went down the crapper when you sw-"

Taylor choked, elbowing Jake's side to prevent him from finishing his statement, blushing furiously as Jake laughed. "Yeah well, so did  _you,_  Top Gun..." He groused, pouting as Jake slid a finger beneath his chin and turned his face toward him. The pilot leaned down and claimed his lips in a lazy but passionate kiss, teasing his lip with gentle nips and sucks. "You're not forgiven..." Taylor murmured, as they parted for breath, and Jake chuckled as he trailed kisses to his ear.

"What if I promise to do it again, Boy Scout..?" He whispered lowly, sucking the lobe between his teeth.

Taylor shivered and bit his lip to keep from grinning. He shrugged his shoulders and looked away, only for the pilot to turn his face back again when he sniggered. "Okay, yeah... I could  _probably_  be persuaded." He said, grinning as Jake stole another kiss from him.

" _Hey, assholes_!" They froze at Zahra's loud call, and Taylor pulled back to bite his lip guiltily, though his wide grin and pink stained cheeks countered the gesture.  _"I know what you're doing. Get your asses up here!_ " The fierce girl snorted, and Taylor giggled as Jake groaned.

"That girls  _timing..."_  The pilot muttered darkly, scowling over the top of the counter as if he could see her. Taylor quickly checked to make sure she wasn't there, and then pushes to his feet, offering his hand to pull Jake up after him.

"Well, if she didn't hate you before..." He sniggered, "she probably does now... And me too now actually, so come on, lets go see what's so important." He said, as he righted and re-fastened his trousers.

Jake sighed and followed his example, his eyes reluctantly trailing over Taylors torso before it disappeared under his shirt. "Mighty shame," he said, shaking his head.

"What's that?" Taylor asked, his lips twitching with amusement at the pilots sulking, as he found his shoulder harness.

"Seein' something so pretty all wrapped up..." Jake grinned, winking suggestively as he grabbed his shirt and pulled it over his head, and then shifting his dog tags over the top of it.

 _"Hmm,"_  Taylor hummed, strapping his rope over his shoulder as the pilot shrugged into his jacket. He stepped closer and tugged at the lapels, bringing his lips to hover before Jake's. "Play your cards right, Top Gun, and maybe you can unwrap me again later..." He said, kissing his cheek quickly before shoving Jake behind the bar and darting away. "Have to catch me first though!" He called, as he ran into the hallway with a laugh.

"Heh, I always play my cards right, Boy Scout..!" Jake called, as he skidded into the hall after him. "I'm a regular gamblin' master!"

Taylor laughed as they ran through the halls, feeling an unfamiliar lightness in his heart at the innocent moment they'd shared; right after the very decidedly, not, innocent moments they'd shared together. He darted onto the stairwell, skipping down them three at a time as he hurried back down to the ground floor. He glanced up the stairs, and giggled as Jake hopped the entire flight of stairs to the first floor, before bursting through the door to the atrium. He dashed across the room, passing the statuesque fountain, as Jake burst through the stairwell door himself. He laughed, as he ran through to the lobby, only to skid to a halt by a mixture of amused and unimpressed group of friends.

"Uh..." He cleared his throat, straightening as he looked around the various expressions. Raj was sniggering with Craig, Zahra and Quinn at the back, while Lila, Michelle and Grace watched his approach with obvious amusement. Estela, Sean and even Aleister frowned at him, and Taylor discreetly checked himself as he walked over to make sure his clothing wasn't too dishevelled.

"You okay?" Sean asked, his tone clipped. Taylor flinched from the heavy disapproval rolling from the athlete like a thick fog, scratching his arm as he nodded silently. "Thought maybe you were hurt. Couldn't think of any other reason you wouldn't have got here sooner, if there might've been info to help figure out what happened to Diego."

Taylor bit his lip, his cheeks flushing guiltily as he lowered his eyes to the floor. "Calm down, Captain America, I convinced Boy Scout to have a drink." Jake said, as he walked into the lobby, his hands in his pockets. "Figured he needed a little help relaxin' given how guilty and generally  _shitty_  he was feelin'." The pilot said, casually strolling past Sean, as the athlete glared at him.

"That's your answer for everything, isn't it?" Sean asked acidly, shaking his head as he turned to follow Jake walk over and lean against the elevator call button. "Drinking?" The athlete said, with such distaste that Taylor winced, as an alternate memory wriggled at the edge of his mind.

"Pretty much, yeah." Jake said, a cocky grin on his face as he met Sean's angry glare without concern. He jerked a thumb to the elevator as, the doors pinged open, raising a brow at them all. "Y'all waiting here for a reason, or..?" He asked.

"Yeah," Zahra said, snickering quietly as she stepped inside. "Come on, losers," she said, gesturing for the others to join her. Slowly, the group trickled inside, leaving only Jake, Taylor, Sean and Estela outside.

"You're a bad influence on him," Sean said quietly, and Taylor rolled his eyes, thinking if anything, he'd been the bad influence. He glanced up to see a hardness in Jake's gaze, a glimmer of irritation sparking between the two.

 _"Guys-"_  he began, only for Jake to speak over him. He glanced at the elevator, as the doors closed, carrying the others to the first floor.

"Boy Scout's smart enough to make his own decisions..." Jake said, though Taylor noticed he swallowed heavily, and he frowned at the reaction. "He doesn't need-"

"Okay, that's enough." Estela said curtly, stepping between the two. "You realise he's stood right there? Grow up, the pair of you. We don't have to  _approve_  of a persons actions, to know that sometimes... They're  _right."_  She said, looking over at Taylor meaningfully. She shoved Jake aside, and pressed the button to call the elevator again, quickly stepping inside when it chimed its arrival. Sean hesitated, glaring at Jake, before he followed Estela, waiting for them inside.

Taylor bit his lip, and walked over to the pilot, who was staring into the distance ahead of him blankly. He hesitated, stepping up beside him as the pilots arm snaked out suddenly and wrapped around his waist, pulling him close with a faint grin. "You  _always_  cheat." He said quietly, and Taylor huffed a small laugh as he met the pilots clear but troubled gaze.

 _"Only_  at races." He said lightly, resting his hand on the pilots arm, as he winked conspiratorially. He grinned, as something in Jake's gaze thawed, and he giggled as he nudged the pilot playfully before stepping into the elevator.

They caught up to Zahra and the others kn the first floor, where they were standing perfectly still, facing a wall. "So, uh..." Zahra said, clearing her throat as she pointed at the wall with a raised brow. "Was this always here?"

Taylor frowned, looking at the massive set of ornately carved wooden doors before her. "What in  _heavens?"_  Taylor glanced at Aleister, as he muttered to himself, while staring at the great doors.

"Definitely, never seen  _those_  before." Sean said, his eyes narrowed as he examined the carvings on the doors suspiciously. Taylor frowned, sensing something important was behind them; something which would certainly help them find Diego.

He began to inch his way forward, as Quinn pointed to a section of wall just beside the doors. "Look..." She said, her fingers trailing a rough edge. "See how the wall is chipped where it meets the doors? And there's some plaster stuck to the carvings." She said thoughtfully.

"I think these doors were hidden," Taylor said, his hand running over the ornate designs, before settling on the handles.

"Hidden?" Quinn repeated, frowning at the doors dubiously. She puffed out her cheeks, as she raised a brow, considering the idea.

 _"Hmm,"_  Taylor hummed, tugging the door to find it stuck tight. "Like they were dry-walled over." He was about to try the doors again, when Craig put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head, grinning as he gestured to his own arms. Taylor chuckled, and stepped aside, as Jake hummed thoughtfully.

"Seconded." The pilot said, meeting his eyes briefly with obvious approval. "Done some construction in my day, and I can pretty much guarantee it." He explained, when everyone turned towards him in surprise.

 _"Ugh."_  Michelle scoffed, rolling her eyes in mock exasperation, grinning as she looked him over. "Is there anything you  _haven't_  done?" She asked pointedly, her brow raising as she glanced at Taylors suddenly darkening cheeks.

"Not really." The pilot said, beaming a wide smile at her, as he winked proudly.

"Well, if these doors had been hidden..." Sean said thoughtfully, his eyes darting to Michelle quickly before looking toward Craig, as he tugged and rattled the doors loudly. "Who found 'em? And, how'd they even know they were here?"

"Somehow, I  _doubt_  it was Diego." Estela said darkly, her stance clearly uneasy, as she glanced down the hallway suspiciously. Taylor felt his heart lurch painfully, guilt gnawing at the happiness he'd managed to instill in himself, during his interlude with Jake.  _Diego wouldn't have slacked off, if it were me who's been taken_... He thought, chewing his lip as he fought within himself.  _But... he wouldn't judge me for it either. The fact, that I did_... He glanced at Sean, wondering if perhaps his best friend would be as appalled as the athlete over his indiscretion, when a warm weight settled against his shoulder.

"Looked like you were thinkin' too much." Jake said, barely glancing at him, as the others all talked around them. Craig finally gave up on the doors, glaring at them balefully.

"Heh, you could say that..." Taylor said, looking at his feet as his emotions swayed through him like a turbulent storm.

"Hmm," Jake hummed, watching as Craig strained to pull the doors open. "You know, I seem to remember last time you needed to take a break from reality; it was Pop Culture Petey convinced you to take one." He said lightly, finally glancing sideways at him.

Taylor choked, his heart throbbing at the memory of Diego telling him to head outside, to Jake; while he searched Rourke's office with Sean _. I guess the only thing Diego would think... Would be how to get me to spill details_... He thought fondly. He glanced at Jake, brushing the back of his hand against the pilots in silent gratitude as a lump formed in his throat.

 _"Look,_  you neanderthal," Aleister snarled, glaring at Craig as the jock scowled at the unmoving doors. "There are some words engraved... But, my Latin is rusty." He admitted regretfully, almost seeming ashamed by the fact. "I see the Roman numerals for seventy nine A.D. though..." He said thoughtfully.

"Have you guys looked at these carvings in the doors?" Zahra asked, elbowing Craig aside as she leaned in, staring at one of the doors raptly. "They're kinda messed up..!" She said, tracing her finger over one in awe.

"It does not appear 'messed up' to me..." Iris said, frowning in confusion as she scanned the carvings for herself. "It's a clear depiction of humans turning to ash, in a volcanic eruption..." She said, and Taylor yelped, his hand flying to his temple at a sudden but brief stab of pain in his head. "The craftwork is in  _excellent_  condition!" The A.I. declared in surprise, as Taylor frowned and rubbed his head. He glanced at Jake, who was watching him closely, and he shook his head as he smiled in reassurance that he wasn't hurt.

"It must be a carving of..." He paused, his hand pressing firmer to his head as a faint ringing began to resound through his skull. He turned to Jake beside him, as the pilot reached for him, only to stumble back in surprise. He watched as a huge volcano erupted, it's boiling magma ejecting onto a city far below, where people ran terrified to their house's or to boats; screaming a name, and about how they were doomed. He shook his head, and sicked in a deep breath, tasting ash and death on the stale air. He closed his eyes, and drew in breath to scream, when a hand settled on his shoulder.

"-  _Scout?!"_  Jake said, his eyes locked onto his face, as Taylor blinked rapidly, before quickly glancing around; only to find himself surrounded by his friends, back in the hallway with the strange doors.

 _"Pompeii..."_  He whispered, repeating the name which had been screamed by the terrified people who were trying to escape the inevitable destruction of their volcano.

"Mind sharing with the class, Boy Scout?" Jake asked, his tone teasing even as his eyes remained locked onto Taylors in obvious concern. "What did you-"

"Pompeii." Taylor repeated louder, glancing around as the others all gasped and began exchanging hurried whispers. "I'm fine, I'll... I'll explain later." Taylor promised quietly, as he turned back to Jake.

 _"Hmm,"_  Jake sighed, rolling his eyes as he rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. "That damn ' _some day_ ' again, huh?" He said lightly, and Taylor grabbed the pilots jacket to stop him turning away.

"No," he said, leaning closer so he could murmur against his ear.  _"'Some day',_  just got promoted." He said quietly, making sure nobody was able to overhear him by letting his lips brush the pilots ear lightly. "I'll explain as soon as we're alone again." He whispered, pressing a sweet but brief kiss to the pilots throat, before drawing away.

Jake watched him for a moment, before opening his mouth to reply, only to be cut off by Aleister. He frowned at the pale boy briefly, before nodding to Taylor, accepting his terms. "There's no doubt in my mind that Taylor is correct." Aleister said thoughtfully, and Taylor frowned at the hint of surprise in his tone.

 _"Yeah!"_  Grace cried, beaming a wide smile as she offered him a high five. "That eruption took place in seventy nine A.D.! Food thinking, Taylor." She praised, as he tapped their palms together and then glanced away uneasily.

"Whatever it is," Zahra scoffed, stepping back from the doors as she slowly grew uncomfortable with them. "These doors are... kinda creepy, don'tcha think?"

"Enough stalling!" Craig yelled, eagerly stepping forward to try and prize them open again. "We gonna open 'em or what?"

"I'm  _not_  scared!" Zahra demanded, whirling of the jock with a ferocious snarl, he hand twitching towards her blade.

Craig beamed down at her, his wide grin clearly pleased with himself for causing her reaction. "Didn't say you  _were."_  He said smugly.

"You  _thought_  it." She growled, her eyes blazing with irritation as she glared at the jock knowingly.

Craig huffed an amused snort, grinning proudly as he nodded, "...  _Yeah_  I did." He admitted, sniggering to himself, as Zahra scowled at him. She strode over to the colossal wooden doors, and twisted the handle, before pushing them open. She turned toward the jock with a smirk, as Craig's face immediately fell.

Taylor gasped, ignoring the pair as he walked into the sprawling, majestic library which opened up before them.  _"Wooooooow..."_  He heard Raj mutter, and nodded in speechless agreement, as his eyes trailed around the pristine room. He eyed the bookcases which lined the top floor, filled with worn, leather-bound books which must have numbered into the thousands. He shook his head minutely, guessing that every single one would probably be worth more than a small car, knowing Rourke.

"Okay,  _this_  is my new room!" Grace cried excitedly, as she ran forward to examine an aged globe, covered with old world monsters and lands. She spun it gently and frowned suddenly, at the hollow rasp which sounded; the top half moving, as the bottom remained still. She grasped the arc of wood which covered the globe, and lifted, laughing as she caught sight of what was within. "Maybe this should be  _yours_  though, Jake?" She giggled, and the pilot grinned cockily as he strolled over curiously.

Taylor shook his head fondly, laughing as Jake's eyes widened in childish glee, and he buried himself inside the secret liquor cabinet. He turned his eyes to the ceiling, where he noticed the mid-morning light seeped through stained glass windows in the upper arches, to colourfully illuminate the frescoes painted on the ceiling. He marvelled at the many beautiful depictions; until he noticed something which made him scowl and ball his hands into tight fists.

"Aleister, your butt-plug of a father has a  _serious_  problem." He said darkly, meeting the pale boys confused gaze and gesturing to the ceiling. "I'm not sure if  _anyone_  is ever gonna be able to deflate his head, judging by the way he's altered all of these." Aleister looked up himself, frowning at the many of God's and Hero's; all painted by hand to resemble Rourke in various poses of victory and serenity. He watched as the pale boy shook his head at the distasteful display, before turning his own attention towards Sean, as the athlete carefully stepped around an expensive looking display of strange looking artifacts.

"This is one  _hell_  of a library, that's for sure..." The dark skinned boy conceded, glancing around the group warningly. "But don't forget why we're here."

"Cap's right," Jake called, snorting as the athlete turned to him in surprise. "If our 'mystery guest' came here sometime in the last six months, searching for this place; maybe its got some answers for us."

"Let's split up and search around." Taylor suggested distractedly, looking towards a strange looking staff on a nearby wall.

"Already on it, Boy Scout." Jake said, a cocky grin tugging at his lips as he winked at him, and patted the secret liquor cabinet. Taylor snorted in amusement, grinning as he watched the pilot rummage through the no doubt priceless bottles.

"There's gotta be a million books in here!" Michelle gasped, her eyes wide as she gazed around the displays with wonder. "What are we even looking for? And where do we start?"

"There's some medical textbooks over in those bookcases..." Taylor said before he thought, gesturing toward an alcove beside a particularly bad taste portrait of Rourke. He froze, staring down at the floor in shock. Michelle followed his directions, reaching for a large volume on rare disorders and gasping at it.

"This is..." She said, her jaw dropping as she eagerly flipped it open. "It's one of only a hundred and thirteen copies left in the  _world;_  it's practically unavailable to the public!" She babbled, too absorbed in her findings to notice Taylors instability.

Taylor slowly raised his hands, half expecting them to look different somehow. He felt a hollowness in his stomach, an empty and desolate yearning, which didn't belong to his current timeline at all. He lowered his hands and shook his head to clear his melancholy, refusing to allow himself to wallow, as he came to the realisation; his alternate memories would not be repressed much longer. "Well..." He said, clearing his throat of the thickness residing within. "Whatever it is that might help us find Diego; we just gotta hope we know it when we see it." He said with a faint croak, shaking himself and firmly telling himself to get a grip, as his friends wandered about the spacious library, their footsteps echoing.

Taylor scowled as mid-morning light seeped through stained glass windows in the upper arches, colourfully illuminating the frescoes painted on the ceiling.

"Analyzing." Iris said, as she rapidly scanned several items in the room. "This mechanized, celestial globe dated to fifteen ninety four, one of the first produced." She explained, gesturing to a smaller globe ar the far end of the room. She disappeared, her drone floating over the opposite side of the room to the upper gallery, where her blue hologram reappeared beside a bookcase, gesturing towards a large book on display. "A first edition text by Athanasius Kircher, circa sixteen sixty two..." Taylor grinned as the A.I. clearly enjoyed herself, scanning and explaining items whether people were listening or not.

"Everett Rourke's entire personal collection..." Lila said proudly, looking around with barely concealed delight. Taylor watched her, frowning at her lack of surprise. She caught his look and grinned as she sighed happily, looking around the shelves high above them. "I always wondered what had happened to it." She said, almost as a guilty confession, though Taylor sensed a hint of deception below her blushing exterior. He pasted a smile on his face and looked away, his eyes finding Jake, as the pilot scratched his head in wide eyed confusion.

"But, why would he stick  _this_  in a damn beach resort of all places?" The pilot asked incredulously. "And then, why seal up the entrance?" He added, his clear eyes raising to Taylors, as if somehow wondering if it was another mysterious thing he might know.

Taylor opened his mouth to respond, but it was Aleister's acidic reply which found the pilot. "He had a lot to hide." The pale boy sneered, scowling at one of the more outlandish portraits of his father at the end of the room.

"Like father, like son." Estela said, not noticing the way Aleister flinched as if she'd struck him.

 _"Estela!"_  Taylor scolded, scowling st the dark haired girl along with Grace. She looked between them before rolling her eyes and turning away, and though she glanced at Aleister almost regretfully, she did not say anything further. Taylor frowned after her, but was distracted when his eyes settled on Furball, who was curled beneath a book display.

"Hey, little guy." Taylor said with a smile, which rapidly faded when he noticed the little blue fox was clearly terrified. He picked him up, comforting the small animal as best he could with gentle petting as he spoke softly to him. "Why are you trembling, huh? What're you scared of?" He mumbled soothingly, rubbing his hand through the soft, cool fur at the back of the little foxes neck.

 _"Mrrrmf..."_  The little fox whined, stretching up and curling himself tightly around Taylors shoulders. He frowned, following the small animals eyes to a red velvet frame on the wall. His eyes widened, recognising the strange staff which had first captured his attention was mounted within.

Taylor leaned closer, examining it with narrowed eyes, before hastily drawing back with a scowl. "A  _Hydra..."_  He muttered darkly, yelping as he backed into a firm body behind him.

"What the  _hell_  is that monstrosity?" Jake asked, his eyes wide as he steadied Taylor with a hand on his arm. The pilot frowned, as he felt him shivering, glancing between Taylor and the display with a rapidly darkening expression.

"A  _Hydra."_  Taylor said quickly, his eyes flicking back to the staff with a shiver. "It's a Hydra... In the shape of a..." He paused, floundering for the word as the alternate memory of the scepter loitered just out of his reach.

"A caduceus." Iris supplied helpfully, and Taylor sighed in obvious relief, as the word finally clicked into place in his head. "The symbol of medicine, used worldwide. Originally; the icon of Mercury, the God's messenger." She said quickly, clearly enjoying the opportunity to explain so many things.

"Mercury, huh?" Taylor said thoughtfully, narrowing his eyes at the caduceus as if expecting it to launch itself at him any moment. "So, this scepter is Roman? Like Pompeii?" He asked, shivering as he recalled the strange vision he'd seen outside the doors.

"Analyzing." Iris chirped, her eyes flashing. She frowned, shaking her head as she ran her scan a second time before drawing back, obviously startled. "Origin...  _undetermined."_  She said in a small voice, as if she took it as a personal failure. "Odd... This is the  _only_  article in the library I cannot identify." She said, her eyes lowering to the floor, as if in shame.

"Iris..." Taylor began, wishing she had a corporeal form so he could physically reassure her. He settled for stepping closer to her and patting her little projector drone gently. "It's not your fault. It's probably something to do with your missing memories and databanks." He said, smiling when the blue hologram raised her head hopefully.

"Did you see the inscription in the frame?" Michelle asked, gesturing towards a plaque resting in the red velvet, just beneath the scepter.

Taylor leaned closer, wrinkling his nose in distaste, as he married his eyes and read aloud for the group. "' _Oh Mercury! Herald of that shining hour, when glory's house, stands open_...'" He said, frowning as he glanced around. "It says it's from  _Homeric Odes, chapter twelve_..." He added, hissing as a spear of pain lanced through his head, leaving him blinking and unsteady on his feet.

"I got you..." Jake murmured, discreetly leading him to the nearest wall and leaning him against it. Taylor gripping his arm in silent thanks, shaking his head as the shocking jolt disappeared as quickly as it had come.  _What the hell caused that._.?! He wondered, looking at Grace tiredly, as fatigue settled into the pains wake.

"The Homeric Odes!" Grace gasped, looking around eagerly as she weaved through the assorted bodies of their group. "I just saw a volume of those of a shelf..." She murmured, tracing her finger along a row of book spines. "Yeah,  _here_  it is!" She cried, digging the volume from the shelf carefully, and trotting over with it. She offered it to Taylor, who accepted and opened it with a faint sigh. He flipped to chapter twelve quickly, wincing at the minor jab of pain which lanced through him, but otherwise ignoring it as he quickly read the page.

"'...  _His staff aloft o'er glimmering waters, the herald-god marked the height of day_.'" He said, wrinkling his nose in distaste of the long-winded speech. "' _And lo, the path to the depths yawned open. To conquer the heavens, a man must journey below_.'"

"What could it mean?" Quinn asked, looking around them all as she worried her lip. "It  _has_  to be important."

"Well, the staff of the herald-god..." Jake said, eyeing the staff distrustfully. "That's gotta be this thing, right? The ca... cader... cudel..." Taylor grinned softly, the pilots intense frown of concentration making something in his chest melt and spread throughout him.

"You mean the  _caduceus..."_  He said, sniggering as the pilot looked up and caught him watching him with fond adoration.

"Correct!" Iris cheered, her eyes crinkling in delight as he pronounced it correctly, causing him to laugh quietly.

"Right." Jake agreed confidently, his eyes trailing over Taylors content expression as he beamed a cocky grin and winked at him.  _"That."_

"Sounds like this caduceus is supposed to open a path below something." Estela said, eyeing the scepter thoughtfully.

"Right." Taylor snorted, rolling his eyes as he recalled the outdated wording. " _When the scepter is held 'aloft o'er glimmering waters_ '..." He snarked sarcastically.

"Hm..." Craig hummed, his expression uncharacteristically thoughtful. "Where could we find water?"

"Sweet  _Jesus,_  Craig..." Michelle sighed, massaging her forehead with her fingers as she closed her eyes in frustration. "We're on an  _island."_

"More specific, maybe?" Quinn interjected quickly, as Craig turned away from Michelle with a grimace. "Where have we seen someone standing over  _'glimmering'_  water?"

 _"Urgh,"_  Taylor groaned, shaking his head in disgust. "That  _ridiculous_  statue in the atrium..." He said, wrinkling his nose at the memory of Rourke in a toga.  _Though that's still miles better than having seen him naked._  He thought, shivering as he forcibly blocked that memory from his mind.

"That's what I was gonna say." Michelle said, raising her hand for a high five, which Taylor returned distractedly.

 _"Yeah!"_  Sean said, beaming a smile as he clapped Taylor on the shoulder. "The statue of Rourke over the fountain's 'glimmering waters'!"

"' _Marking the height of day._..'" Zahra said thoughtfully, her eyes narrowed at the staff in consideration. She gasped as her epiphany struck, and she looked around the group with newly widened eyes. "It's a freakin'  _sundial!_  When we give the staff to the herald, the fountain becomes a goddamn sundial!"

"And the sundial opens the path!" Quinn giggled, fist bumping with Zahra as she smiled widely at the other girl, her arms behind her back as her eyes crinkled in joy.

"But, wait..!" Michelle gasped, looking at her wristwatch as it it might help illuminate something. "How are we supposed to know what time it opens?"

"Think about what we know," Taylor said with a sigh, feeling strangely tired from the latest round of 'solve Rourke's shit.' "Its gotta be 'the height of day'." He said, gesturing through thebstain glassed windows on the floor above them. "Doesn't get much higher than noon."

"Of course!" Lila gasped, quickly checking her own wrist. "My watch says it's almost noon right now! We can make it if we hurry!" She said excitedly.

"Quick, Taylor!" Raj cried, pointing to the staff. "Grab the Twizzler!" he said, and Taylor grimaced, wishing Raj had picked anyone other than him to carry it. He reached toward the Hydra caduceus, only for his hand to be gently nudged aside. He looked over his shoulder, to just catch Jake winking at him, as the pilot grabbed the staff and stepped backwards.

"Got it!" Jake said, waving the staff cheekily, as if he were teasing Taylor over having stolen it, though his eyes watched him concernedly. "Let's go, Boy Scout!" He said, turning toward the exit. Taylor grinned, giggling as affection bubbled in his chest. He skipped forward, and bumped the pilots shoulder as he passed, before breaking into a sprint down the hallway.  _"Hey!"_  Jake called after him, as he dashed straight down the stairs and sprinted across The Celestial lobby to the atrium.

 _"There,_  Top Gun." He sniggered, as Jake raced in just a few steps behind him, quickly followed by the rest of the group. "We've gotta get the scepter up into the statue's hand." He said, grinning as the pilot narrowed his eyes and glanced down at the scepter, before turning to look at Sean thoughtfully.

"And how are we supposed to do that exactly?" Michelle demanded, gazing up at the high statue with wide eyes.

"Eleven fifty nine!" Lila called, her eyes on her watch. "Whatever your gonna do, lets move it!" She warned.

"Here, Cap." Jake said, tossing the scepter towards the athlete, winking when he caught it in one hand easily.

"Leave it to me." Sean said, nodding, though he cast Taylor a sly look as he lined himself up. "Course, if we'd looked an hour ago, we wouldn't be having to hurry right now..." He said pointedly.

Taylor bit his lip guiltily, his cheeks flooding with heat as he glanced at the floor, before glancing up at Jake from beneath his lashes. He caught the pilots frown, and giggled, drawing his attention as he grinned and shrugged lightly. "It was worth it." He said, winking at Jake.

"All that  _sleep_  you mean?" Zahra snorted, eyeing him knowingly as Sean shook his head and backed up. He took a running start and launched himself from the rim of the fountain.

 _"So_  much sleep..." Taylor drawled, his eyes locked onto Jake as they shared a heated look, missing the jaw dropping leap Sean made as he grabbed onto the statue's outstretched arm. Taylor snapped out of his moment with Jake, looking up to see Sean perform a one armed pull up, and his brows rose at the impressive display. With his free hand, Sean slammed the scepter into the statue's grip.

"Got it!" Sean cried, smirking in victory, as ve swung himself forward and vaulted off the sundial, landing on his feet on the far side of the sundial.

"Like a  _boss!"_  Craig cheered, and Taylor whooped along with him as the group erupted into applause.

"Wow." Jake said, his brows raised and eyes wide, "I'm  _actually_  impressed." He added, and Taylor nudged him playfully in the shoulder, wrinkling his nose at him.

 _"Hmph."_  Michelle snarked, folding her arms over her chest and looking away, though her lips curled with a small smile. "Show off."

"Time, Lila?" Sean asked, beaming a shy but bright smile at the group, as he walked around the fountain to rejoin them.

"Twelve on the dot!" She said, grinning widely. As one, the group turned toward the statue, staring at it expectantly. The sun shone through the glass roof, the sun casting a slow moving shadow on the fountains numerals. With a resounding 'clunk', a mechanical sound vibrated through the floor.

 _"Whoa,_  watch out!" Taylor called, as the tiles behind the fountain began to drop down into the floor, forming a staircase which descended into darkness.

"Okay," Zahra admitted reluctantly, tossing her Mohawk over her shoulder. "That's actually pretty dope."

"Alright folks," Jake said, clapping his hands together. "Looks like we're going down into whatever sex dungeon Rourke has set up."

"Was that mental image  _really_  necessary?" Aleister asked in a strained voice, his expression pained. Taylor grimaced himself, forcefully blocking both the image of naked Rourke and whatever would constitute as a sex dungeon to the man.

"Ya know, Malfoy, I immediately regretted it." Jake admitted, looking suitably abashed as he met the pale boys eyes. "I'm sorry." He said sincerely.

Taylor laughed, as his friends began to head below in single file. He was about to follow, when Jake took his hand, lacing their fi gets together. "You're not  _actually_  nervous about going down there, are you, tough guy?" Taylor teased, grinning widely in amusement.

 _"Nah,"_  Jake said, smiling as he stepped closer. "Just wanted an excuse to hold your hand." He said, and Taylor felt his heart jump at the confession.

As they descended into the darkness, Taylors feet felt the smooth floor even out. They all stood there, seeing nothing, hearing only each others breathing. "Well, this is fun." Taylor said awkwardly, relieved when the tension dropped, as several people chuckled. He squeezed Jake's hand, summoning his courage, as he took another step forward, only to stumble; as a tile depressed slightly, and the lights came blasting on around them.

" _Ow. Very ow_..." Taylor muttered, covering his stinging eyes with his hand, as they adjusted to the bright lights reflecting off the white surfaces. "What the..." He murmured, narrowing his eyes as he peered around at the various odd artifacts. A teddy bear sat on a high self, protected by thick glass. On another, was a pristine sabertooth skull, and he shivered at the reminder of T'kal.

"Dude..." Craig cried, grinning as he spun around and looked at the collection in amusement. "It's not a sex dungeon... Rourke's got a  _man cave_!" He laughed, though his expression quickly morphed into a scowl. "No TVs though... Gotta hook up those flat screens."

"But seriously," Michelle said, talking over Craig as he devoled into mutterings about the prime position for a tv in the room. "What  _is_  this place?"

Taylor felt a strange buzz beneath his skin, a tingling sense of foreboding as they all walked through the room slowly, passing among dozens of illuminated pedestals. He felt a growing unease in his gut, as he walked by bizarre trinkets from every era without so much as looking at them.

"I think it's some sorta museum..." Quinn said thoughtfully, her fingers trailing lazily over a high dome of thick glass, protecting a red glove.

"Or a trophy room." Estela barked, eyeing the displayed items with open hostility and distrust.

"A little dusty." Jake said lightly, squeezing Taylors hand gently on reassurance, as he noticed the fsint tremor in his fingers. "Don't think anybody's been down here in a while."

He noticed Michelle lingering by one of the pedestals, and he froze in place, his heart hammering in his chest as his breath caught in his throat. "Boy Scout?" Jake called softly, when his sudden stop tugged at his hand. Taylor couldn't fins the words to reply, glancing at the pilot with a hollow expression, causing him to step closer in concern. "Hey, Taylor... What is it?" He asked seriously, glancing around the others to check none if them were paying attention, before moving in front of Taylor; blocking him from sight. "What  _is_  it?" He repeated, a touch of urgency to his tone as his eyes raked worriedly over Taylor.

"... Have you ever..." Taylor said hesitantly, swallowing agains ttbe thick lump which tried to block his throat. "Ever have to do something... You  _really,_  didn't want to do..? Just... Just,  _know,_  that it was gonna suck so bad..."

"Is this... about earlier?" Jake asked, his crooked grin not meeting his concerned eyes. "'Cuz  _personally,_  I thought that was some very positive suckin-"

 _"Jake..!"_  Taylor giggled, blushing as the pilot successfully distracted him from his near hysteria. He rested his head on Jake's shoulder a moment, drawing what strength and comfort he could, before straightening and smiling at his pilot. "I'm sorry... And you're right, earlier was...  _very,_  positive sucking." He agreed with an easy grin. He looked over the pilots shoulder and sighed, squeezing his hand as he tugged him towards where Michelle was still admiring a beautiful idol, several inches tall.

"Isn't it  _gorgeous?"_  Michelle breathed, her fingers twitching in eagerness to wrap around the statue. "What is it? Is it gold?" She demanded eagerly.

Jake opened his mouth to reply, but Taylor beat him to it, though he was hardly keen in his deliverance.  _"Amber."_  He said dully, glancing at Jake as the pilot frowned at him. "It's made of Amber." He said, sighing as he turned back to the idol. His finger hovered over the green button on the side of the pedestal, before reluctantly pressing it. The glass dome divided and retracted into the base, and Michelle squealed giddily as she snatched it up.

"It's so...  _beautiful..."_  She whispered, examining it as she trailed her fingers lightly over its smooth surface. She glanced up, and offered it to Taylor. He swallowed thickly, his heart racing heavily in his chest as he hesitated, before slowly reaching out with a trembling hand towards the idol.

The moment his fingertips grazed it, a flash of blinding light tore his mind away from his body; depositing him in a bedroom, in a colleg sorority house. He could see out the window, the spring blossoms on the trees.

"What are you  _talking_  about? I didn't -" Michelle cried, her eyes wide and watering as she stared at Sean brokenly.

"Yes, Michelle. Yes, you did." Sean growled adamantly, slashing his arm through the air as he glared at her. "Your  _closest friends_  told me. You  _cheated!"_  He spat, shaking his head in pained disappointment."It's over." He said, turning to leave.

"Don't say that..!" Michelle sobbed, pkeadingly, her arms wraooes tightly around her torso. "You can't leave me!" She cried, her tears falling as she stepped after Sean.

"We built something for two years..." Sean said, shaking his head without looking back at her. "And it meant  _nothing_  to you." He muttered quietly, finally turning with a pained expression. "Of  _course_  it's over." He said brokenly, before his expression morphed into an angry scowl. "How could I ever trust you again? Once you break that trust, there's no putting it back together!" He yelled, walking out and slamming the door behind him.

Michelle sat on her bed, wiping her tears face even as feeah ones replaced them. After a moment, someone knocked on her door, and a voice called through to her. " _Awww, Meech? You okay in there? Can we get you some chamomile_?"

"I just need a minute..." Michelle mumbled, barely audible, but still Michelle heard three pairs of footsteps leave. She sat in silence, staring blankly ahead of her, until the sound of giggling drifted through her bedroom window.

" _Ha ha! Sean **totally**  bought it! Oh my god, I can't believe that worked_!" One voice gasped, tittering in a high pitched squeal.

" _You know, she probably did chest on him some time or another. That total skank. She thinks she's so smart... So much **better**  than us_." Another voice said scathingly, fierce in its hatred.

" _Seriously, how does she not get that **everyone**  in the sorority totally  **hates**  her_?" A third voice stage whispered, mocking curiosity in its tone.

The entire time, Taylors focus stayed locked onto Michelle's face, his heart reaching out to the blonde. She clearly heard every word her 'friends' said, but she didn't shout, or sob. She sat on her bed, still, and silent; as her eyes turned cold.

Suddenly Taylor was yanked forward in a disorienting wave of colours and strange lights, as if by his very heart as it tried to escape the painful scene he'd witnessed. He found himself on a stormswept beach, where Michelle climbed into a rusted sailboat, as she was pelted by rain.

"Michelle!  _Stop!"_  Quinn cried desperately, racing up the beach towards the blonde.

"You're going to get yourself  _killed,_  you  _idiot!"_  Zahra called, her eyes wide as she kept pace with Quinn, the pair of them skidding to as Michelle rowed herself far enough that they couldn't reach her.

 _"No,_  I'm going!" Michelle screamed, her eyes wild as she glared at them ferociously. "None of you want me here! You never did!" She cried, and Taylor felt his heart break at the pain in the hateful snarl the blonde painted onto her face. "You think it's  _my_  fault Craig and Aleister are dead!" She screamed brokenly.

"Of  _course_  not, Michelle!" Jake called, as he raced up the beach, his jacket falling to the sand as he prepared to run into the water after her. "Just get out of the damn boat! We're your  _friends!"_

Taylor felt his heart throb with gratitude for the pilots attempts, as Zahra and Quinn held him back from chasing Michelle out to sea. As he watched Michelle through the plummeting rain, he could make out her own tears streaming down her face.  _"No..._  You're  _not..."_  She whispered brokenly, convering her face with her hands.

Jake made a last attempt to break free of the girls holding him back, but it was too late.  _"No!"_  He cried, scowling as he fought to no avail to chase after her. "Michelle, that  _thing's_  still out there!"

As her sailboat shrank into the distance, Taylors hesrt clenched oainfully, as he saw a massive shadow slithering beneath the waves. He heard Quinn scream the blondes name, and just like that, he was back in Rourke's museum; and Michelle was right in front of him.

He swallowed thickly, his body tense as he stared at Michelle, his eyes stinging painfully as he clenched Jake's hand tight. He gasped, releasing his grip as he passed the idol to Jake and wrapped Michelle in his arms.

 _"Whoa!"_  Michelle gasped, her eyes wide as his body trembled against her. "Taylor, what the-?" She began, only for Jake to nudge a gentle hand against her shoulder.

"Just... give him a minute." He said quietly, watching Taylor with obvious restraint as his fingers clenched in his desire to hold him. Taylor fought to contain his emotions, his thoughts scattered as he tried to understand what he'd seen, and figure out its importance.

 _Was that the first time?_  He wondered absently, as he sucked in a deep breath.  _Was she too hurt to trust again? Sean didn't tell her why they broke up until they were already on the Island this time, and she can't have heard her friends outside_... He thought frantically, his heart hammering in his chest.  _What does it mean? How can I stop it from happening again?_  He pushed his thoughts askde, forcing himself to release the petite blonde and take a step back. Instantly, Jake's hand returned to his own, squeezing tightly in reassurance. "Sorry I... I was just..."

"Boy Scout here, gets over sentimental when he's tired." Jake supplied, as Taylor floundered for words. He threw the pilot a grateful glance, as Michelle raised a brow at them, narrowing her eyes suspiciously but saying nothing before turning away. "Taylor, we get done here; we're going  _straight_  up to your room and you're gonna tell me what the  _bloody hell_  just happened." Jake said quietly but firmly, his fingers releasing his hand as they rose to cup Taylors chin, as he pressed his forehead to Taylors briefly.

Taylor nodded reluctantly, his body still ringing from the devastating things he'd seen. He glanced down, to see the amber idol of a peacock haired figure gazing blankly back at him from Jake's free hand. "Keep hold of that..." Taylor said, his eyes meeting Jake's to convey the importance of the idol. "We n-"

"Yo,  _Taylor!"_  Craig called, distracting him as he waved him over to the red glove. "Check  _this_  thing out!" He called excitedly. Taylor sighed, the prickling beneath his soon intensifying as he tried to shake off the troubling vision's he'd seen, and made his way to Craig in the back of the room. "The heck do you think this is?" Craig asked, grinning at the strange, crimson glove within its glass dome, which ended at the elbow.

Taylor swallowed heavily, recognising it as belonging to the strange man in a red spacesuit he'd seen. His breathing hitched, coming in quick pants as a headache began to pulse behind his eyes. "Huh, it looks futuristic, but... how does it seem so old?" Grace asked, stepping up beside them.

"Wanna check it out?" Craig asked excitedly, his fingers all but twitching in eagerness. Taylor glanced at him, a sick sense of dread curling in his gut as he tentatively reached forward and pressed the button to open the glass; only for it to beep, the release button glowing red.

"It's not working..." He said, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly in relief. Taylor eyed the glove with a frown, uncertain what about it gave him such an ominous feeling. To the naked eye, it was just a glove from a spacesuit in an unusual shade of crimson. It's what you cant see beneath the visor... He thought, immediately rolling his eyes at his own ridiculous thought; for no gloves had visors.

"We could always smash the glass..." Craig said hopefully, and Grace winced, her shoulders hunching as she deliberately stepped away and walked over to Aleister, determined not to witness such an act of vandalism if it were to occur.

Taylor looked at Craig, whose almost childish innocence was too much for him to deny. "Okay, Big Guy..." He sighed, with heavy reluctance. "Let's grab the glove."

"Aw,  _hell yeah!"_  Craig grinned, practically bouncing on his feet as he made a few practice jabs before winding up for an actual punch. Taylor balked at realising he was actually going to punch the glass, but before he could do anything, Craig lunged. " _Hrrr-yaaaaah_!" The jock growled, as he shattered the dome, sending glass sprinkling all over the floor.

"The hell's the matter with you, you  _maniac?!"_  Zahra demanded, scowling at the jock as his eyes widened at her and he hastily glanced around.

"Wha- It wasn't  _me!"_  He said, quickly glancing down at his lightly grazed hand, and hiding it behind his back as he looked back at her; gesturing towards Taylor with his free hand. "Taylor  _told_  me to!"

"Yeah, that one's on me." Taylor said flatly, rolling his eyes as Jake chuckled beside him.  _"Thanks,_  Craig." He shook his head, leaning closer to get a better look at the red glove, as his gut squirmed in a sense of nervous anticipation. "It really is kinda patched together, huh..?" He thought aloud, his brow furrowing at the familiar looking materials sewn together.

"But it's  _so_  cool looking!" Craig said excitedly, leaning closer as Zahra looked away from him. "Does it  _do_  anything? Try it on!" He encouraged, and Taylor grimaced at the idea, but reached forward all the same.

He cautiously lifted the glove from the pedestal, and slipped it reluctantly onto his arm. Instantly he was overwhelmed with scenes and images from all over La Huerta, flickering too fast to understand. He whimpered, and Jake immediately tugged it from his arm with a scowl, as if sensing that it was the cause of whatever was bothering him. Taylor pants for breath, unable to recall any of the images he'd seen, but conscious of a single thought as he stared at the odious red glove. _It was a perfect fit.._. He thought, swallowing thickly as he raised his eyes to Jake, who seemed to have made the same connection.

"Um," Taylor said, clearing his throat as he gestured to where the glove abruptly cut off. "Do you see this at the bottom, around the elbow? It's all torn up and kinda scalded..." He said, feeling the distinct sickness in him abate as he finally realised, what made him so uneasy about the object. "Craig, I think this person's arm was  _cut off."_

" _Ha ha ha_!" Craig laughed loudly, bumping Taylors shoulder heavily with his fist. "And you put your hand in there!  _Nasty!"_  He cackled, doubling over in laughter.

"Hmm," Jake said, setting the glove down, only for Craig to snatch it up quickly, unwilling to leave it behind. The pilot tugged Taylor across the room, where he picked up a small, handheld electronic device. "Hey, Craigslist!" He called, grinning widely as he waved the device at the jock with a wink. "I think I found the remote to those TVs you were looking for!" He chuckled, pressing random buttons a few times, with no results. "Hm, think the batteries might be dead or-" He began, his face falling briefly, before he started; as the wall behind him split into two.

 _"Whoa!"_  Taylor breathed, watching as two panels slid apart to reveal an enormous floor to ceiling screen.

 _"Awww,_  yeah, baby!" Craig crowed, strolling up to the screen with his arms spread wide, a huge grin splitting his face. "That's what ya boy is talking about!"

The screen illuminated, and Taylor frowned, stepping closer as it revealed a large map. "That's here!" Jake cried, his eyes wide as he darted a surprised look at Taylor, before they ran over the map once more. "That's satellite imagery of La Huerta!"

Taylor narrowed his eyes, locking them onto where crosshairs flashed on the screen, pinpointing a location in small bay on the western side of the island.  _"Jake..."_  He whispered, pointing to the area as if to confirm what he was seeing.

"Hostiles' stronghold?!" Sean gasped, as Jake squeezed Taylors hand when he hiccupped a small, startled sob.

"'The Hostiles'..." Taylor murmured, looking around the nonplussed group with wide eyes. "That's what Rourke calls the Vaanti!" He said, his eyes watering from the strange combination of exhaustion, relief and excitement spiraling within him.

"I think we just found out where the Blue Man Group took Diego..." Jake growled, scowling at the screen marker, as his thumb caressed the back of Taylors hand. They shared a look, before turning to the others.

"Listen..." Taylor began, looking around the group with a determination in the set of his jaw. "I know you've all been through a lot, so... I understand if some of you want to stay here-"

"Aw, give it a rest, Taylor." Zahra scoffed, folding her arms over her chest as she glared at him with obvious amusement.

"Huh?" Taylor hummed, looking around from one classmate to the next. Sean folded his own arms over his chest in defiance, as Michelle tied her hair back. Jake released his hand, as he stepped away to pick to an ancient hatchet. He felt a surge in his chest, his heart rising to his throat, as everyone turned to him with their jaws set, their eyes afire with resolve.

"You already know we're coming with you." Zahra snorted, stepping over to jab him in the shoulder.

Craig cracked his knuckles eagerly, as he met Taylors gaze confidently. "Let's go save our friend." The jock growled. Taylor grinned, touched by his friends support. He was about to thank them all, when the sound of footsteps and a slow clap behind him made him tense.

"Well done, friends!" Rourke drawled, in a cheerful but faintly irritated tone. "You found my toys, I see!" Taylor felt his hands curl into fists, his teeth clicking as he snapped his jaw shut hard.

"Figures you'd be the kinda guy that slow claps." Jake snorted, glaring at the well dressed man in obvious distrust.

"Jake, Jake,  _Jake..."_  Rourke hummed, his voice grating on Taylors nerves as he treated his pilot with such mocking condescension. "To be fair, I understand your hostility. But, you're going to appreciate very quickly that we're on the same side here." Rourke said, as he adjusted his jacket and cracked his neck.

"... Same side... As you..?" Taylor asked slowly, looking over his shoulder, before slowly turning towards the man with a scowl. "I think I'd rather... I dunno, pull my own teeth out." He said, earning several gasps from behind him, and even Rourke's face fell in shock.

 _"What?"_  He said, his face morphing into a wall organized frown of confusion, but Taylor could see past it to the genuine surprise the man felt.

 _"Hmph,_  I'd sooner trust  _Varyyn_ and the rest of the Vaanti, than  _you_  any day." He snorted, folding his arms over his chest to keep himself from launching his fist into Rourke's facem "And he-" he cut himself off suddenly, his eyes turning to the floor as he avoided Jake's curious gaze.

After several tense seconds of silence, Aleister pushed his way forward, checking his father over cautiously. "... You're awake." He sneered, sounding torn whether he was pleased or annoyed about the fact.

"And  _you_  exist..." Rourke said thoughtfully, his eyes locked onto Taylor, who shifted uncomfortably under the mans scrutiny. "Splendid, on both counts. The pleasure, for  _once,_  is all mine." He muttered, and Aleister stared at his father in confusion, while Taylor narrowed his eyes into a furious scowl.

"What's  _that_  supposed to mean?" Estela demanded, making Taylor jump as he realised she'd understood the man had been speaking directly to Taylor. Aleister stepped back, simmering in silence as he glared at his father.

Finally, Rourke seemed to spot him. "Aleister. My boy." The man said, though there was no hint of pride in his voice, something Aleister clearly noticed as well when his scowl deepened. Rourke took a deep breath, expelling it in a deep sigh as he looked at the pale boy with a wide grin. "It's been a  _long_  time..." Taylor grit his teeth, determined that when it came to Rourke, no amount of time would be long  _enough._


	2. Time Is Of The Essence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> O.M.G
> 
> I am so sorry for the delay with this chapter... a - it took me ages to write because... well. Ahem.  
> Anyway, b - real life crap kicked in and i had to actually like, goto work and crap... no fair.
> 
> However, at last i have kicked the ass of the many obstacles! Although i admit i have about six new plots for Jake x M!Taylor fics now!   
> Im determined not to write them yet though until i finish this story... but lets be honest, a one shot or two might accidentally get published between updates  
> .. i will be sure to say though if anything delays me too much!
> 
> Now all thats is outta the way! I am reaĺly keen for your feedback because; this chapter has talen soooooo much consideration - and i really HOPE it flows as well as i think it does... because its a permanent worry of mine.
> 
> Anyway ima shut it now; i hope you enjoy! See you again asap! 
> 
> x My love to you all x

**_Dear Jake;_ **

_Was there ever a man **slimier,** more **disgusting,** more **putrid;** than Everett Rourke..? Urgh, even his stupid name makes me feel sick._

_I always kinda wished you could remember that mini time loop though, you'd have got a kick outta it; thinking you'd managed to get into my pants not just once, but well... I don't even honestly remeber how many times... Heh, then again perhaps it's best you won't, else I'd never have heard the end of it!_

_Of course... it won't matter what you remember soon. Soon, you'll be free of it all, and I can just keep the memory alive for myself._

**2.**

**Time Is Of The Essence.**

Taylor grimaced, as the man in the bespoke suit, grinned at his son. "Aren't you going to say  _hello_  to your father?" Rourke asked, not seeming the least bit bothered whether Aleister actually greeted him or not.

Aleister stood, motionless, his eyes ablaze as he glared at his father with a sneer curling his lip. Grace nudged him, worrying her lip as she watched the pale boy closely. "Aleister?" She asked, her hand settling on his arm.

"I have many things to say to you." Aleister finally bit out, his teeth grinding from the force of his words. "'Hello' is  _not_  one of them." He sneered condescendingly.

"Somehow you inherit  _no_  qualities of mine, and yet you have your mother's tongue." Rourke chuckled, utterly unfazed by the way his son flinched at his words. Taylor glared at the suited man, wondering how much Aleister might hate him if he took a leaf from Estela's technique book; and slugged him in the jaw. "Truly a  _miraculous_  feat." Rourke concluded, shaking his head in amusement as he held the lapels of his jacket.

Taylor glanced around his friends, tension filling the strange, sterile museum beneath The Celestial's grand atrium. "Yo, this is super awkward." Craig finally said, rubbing the back of his neck as he glanced between Aleister and his snobbish father.

"Imagine what it's like for  _me,_  Mr. Hsiao." Rourke sneered, his falsely charming smile never leaving his face, as he glanced around the group. "Can any of you explain what my son is doing here?"

"What are you talking about?" Aleister demanded, his eyes narrowing into a fierce and fiery glare. "You invited me. I got your email after I wrote you." He spat, scowling at his father in irritated disbelief.

Taylor watched as Rourke's eyebrows knitted together for a moment, before relaxing again into his familiar grin. He hummed to himself, noticing the way his fingers clung that tiny bit tighter to his jacket lapels as he beamed around the group. "Right, of course." He said, chuckling as he tapped his temple. "My apologies. My memory is still coming to me."

Rourke looked around at the strewn glass on the floor. He lingered by the empty pedestal where the amber idol had stood, clearly uncomfortable. Taylor caught Jake's eyes and the pilot nodded, discreetly shifting the idol behind himself to hide it from the mans view. "And  _what,_  pray tell, happened here?" Rourke asked curiously, though there was a hint of hysteria in his eyes as he looked around.

"We-" Michelle began, only for Taylor to elbow her in the side, speaking over her as she cut off.

"Found it like this." He lied glibly, spreading his palms in general indication of the room. "We figured the Vaanti broke in during the raid and decided to smash all your, uh...  _'toys'."_  He said, feeling a rush of satisfaction flutter through him, as Rourke ground his teeth together in obvious irritation, unable to hide the reaction beneath his placid smile quite quickly enough.

"I apologize for the condition of the resort, Mr. Rourke." Lila said, her crestfallen expression causing Taylor to frown at her thoughtfully. "I-"

"Save the grovelling, Lila." Rourke said, waving her apology aside dismissively. Taylor watched as Lila flinched, her chest seeming to cave from the sharp words. He wondered if he might be able to sway her at all. "At the very least, you managed to keep our most  _honoured_  guests alive all this time." Rourke said, walking slowly around the empty idol pedestal as he watched them with a calculating expression. "How long have you been here, anyway? What day is it?" He added, looking around as if expecting a calendar to miraculously appear.

"December twenty seventh, twenty seventeen... sir." Iris responded reluctantly, her hologram flickering across the room behind him. His face softened, but no matter how he tried to hide it, Taylor could see the frantic panic in his eyes.

 _"...Iris?"_  He asked tentatively, his expression falling further. Taylor snorted, as Iris moved back, clearly disgruntled at being around the man.

"Good morning, sir." She said stiffly, her palms clutched tightly together before her waist. "Time is based on internal clock. Internet to automatic clock, unavailable."

"December twenty seventh... That long?" He gasped, his eyes blowing wide as he staggered back against the display which had held the red glove; the first display of surprise Taylor considered might actually be genuine. "And... You're, you're...  _alive."_  He added, his tone shocked as he stared at Iris with mounting trepidation. He shook his head, frowning as he pressed for answers.  _"How?_  State your version." He demanded, almost desperately as his hands clutched the edge of the pedestal behind him.

"Zero nine one." Iris replied, eyeing the man she called master dubiously, as he visibly sagged against the pedestal.

"An old backup copy, of course..." He muttered darkly, though Taylor had to admit the man did a good job of acting like he was annoyed by the development. "Tell me, all of you, how did you find this version of Iris?" He asked, peering around then all in obvious confusion, despite the pleasant smile on his face. "How have you managed to stay alive here for six months?"

"Bro, I don't think you get the situation." Craig growled suddenly, pushing his way past Sean as he stood over Rourke with an intimidating scowl.  _"You_  are gonna answer  _our_  questions, or else."

"Or else what?" Rourke grinned cockily, raising a brow as he peered up at Craig in defiant smugness. Craig smirked, before grabbing the smaller man by his collar and lifting him clear off the floor, pinning him to the wall. Rourke however, just smiled down at him.

"You wanna find out, amigo?" Craig growled, as he leaned closer to Rourke, who's cocky grin finally faltered as he realised nobody was offering to help him.

Taylor grinned, relishing the sight of Rourke dangling from Craig's large hand. "Aren't you gonna do something?" Estela asked quietly, as she stepped up beside him, also watching with obvious enjoyment as Rourke began to squirm in his attempts to free himself.

"I dunno, I mean... I think Craig's got it handled..." He said with a faint hiss, squinting at the jock thoughtfully. "Yep, definitely got everything  _in hand._ " He sniggered, sobering when Estela turned to look at him blandly.

"So you think Aleister will be okay seeing this now then, as opposed to when I was about to use him for target practice?" She asked, gesturing to where Aleister was watching the events unfold with an expression which spoke loudly of his feelings on the situation.

"You know I really  _hate_  my own words being flung back at me like this..." Taylor groused, sighing heavily as he looked at Rourke hanging from Craig's fist longingly.

"If you don't want people to quote your advice; stop giving good advice." Estela said, smirking as she walked over to the far wall, glaring at Rourke hatefully.

 _"Urgh,"_  Taylor groaned loudly, stepping forward to poke the jock in the shoulder firmly. "Put him down, Craig." He said reluctantly, sighing dejectedly, before he broke into a small grin. "You don't know where he's been." He sniggered.

"The point I'm sure Taylor means to make is that my father has only just awoken from who knows how long in suspended animation," Aleister said snidely, cutting Taylor a grateful look all the same. "He is unlikely to be able to help us until he remembers more." He added, shaking his head in regret.

Craig glanced at Taylor, frowning a moment, before he sighed and rolled his eyes. "... Aiight." He said reluctantly, "I trust you on this." He muttered, as he set Rourke down again.

Rourke smoothed his lapels, beaming around the group widely. "Now then..." The man said brusquely, looking around expectantly. "Where were we?" He asked, gesturing to Taylor for him to answer his previous questions.

Taylor narrowed his eyes, darting a glance to Jake, who shook his head discreetly. He met Rourke's eyes, debating, before he finally began to talk. "The plane hit a storm as we arrived. Then it got torched. We ran, we swam, we fought a sea monster. The Vaanti attacked... taking Diego with them... as we escaped through a time portal." He quickly re-capped for Rourke, glancing at Jake to catch the impressed wink he sent him, at keeping things vague.

 _"Ah."_  Rourke said superiorly, "I have a... minimally, clearer picture of the situation now. Come along." He said, heading for the stairs.

"Rourke,  _whoa._  Hold on. We've got some questions for  _you."_  Taylor called, refusing to move a step, until the man turned towards him curiously. Taylor slowly approached, leaning close so the others wouldn't hear him. "How is it you're surprised to see Iris, but  _not_  by the fact we've been attacked, chased or hunted?" He asked lowly, watching Rourke as a bead of sweat formed at the mans temple. "In fact... Why is it you're not surprised by  _any_  of this; but more that we're ' _still alive'_?"

"Are these, uh,  _all_  your questions?" Rourke asked, his false grin plastered easily across his face, though Taylor snorted at the barely concealed panic over his questions. "Because of course, you deserve answers... There will be occasion for that later. Unless you want to be here when  _they_  return?"

"When  _who_  returns?" Quinn asked, successfully distracted by Rourke's clever phrasing.

"Why, the  _Hostiles."_  He said, grinning broadly at the redhead, as he pushed himself straight and gripped his jacket lapels.

"And why would the Vaanti come back  _now,_  exactly..?" Taylor asked leadingly, grinning when Rourke balked at the question. "Okay, see here's the thing Rourke... I trust  _you,_  about as far as I can throw Craig." He said louder, stepping around behind Rourke and pointing to Craig, who waved with a cheesy grin. "You see Craig, right? He's pretty big... And you know what? I  _can't_  throw Craig, even a little bit." He said, walking back over to the others. "So, this doesn't exactly make it seem too likely we're all about to follow you without even a 'sorry I brought you all to this forsaken place for agendas unknown'."

Rourke's stared at Taylor for what felt like an eternity, wrapped within a minute. Taylor saw something close to respect glimmer in the mans eyes, before he buried it under a flashy smirk. "Well, I  _assumed_  if you found one of the portal guns you would have tried to use it as a weapon first, and shot some of your enemies through ahead of yourselves." He said, tugging his lapels to straighten his jacket, despite it not being creased or crooked.  _"Naturally,_  I assumed that would mean those Hostiles  _emerged_  just moments before you did yourselves... And surely, they immediately returned to their stronghold." He said, raising a brow at them imperiously. Taylor glanced around, disappointed when the others seemed to be buying Rourke's speech.

 _Seems a little convenient he knows all this though, I deliberately didn't say anything about this so he wouldn't be able to use this exact cheap line of_ \- His thoughts cut off abruptly, his eyes meeting Jake's in sudden understanding.  _The person staying in the hotel while we were gone... Who told us how to find Rourke... Either it was Rourke himself, or_ \- He swallowed against the thick taste of bile in his throat, refusing to finish the thought, as he shook his head in denial.

"But," Rourke continued, grinning smugly as he waggled a finger at them., like naughty children being scolded. "Once their leaders realise what this means, they'll be coming back for you... We must go, at once."

"What are you  _talking_  about?" Estela demanded, glaring from where she leaned against the wall, cracking her knuckles. "Go where?"

"Why, to rescue your friend, of course!" Rourke cried, his grin almost too large for his face as he beamed around the group. "I can't have guests perish at my establishment. Could you imagine the Yelp reviews?" He asked, genuine horror in his tone at the thought of bad press.

"You're a bit late," Taylor snorted, tilting his head towards the stairs. "Incase you didn't notice, your entire staff and guest list disappeared before we even for here. Where's your concern for  _them?"_  He asked scathingly, before taking a deep breath, attempting to cool the fire stirring in his blood.

"Besides," Rourke said, ignoring Taylor entirely. "The Hostiles' home will be briefly undefended, as they send their warriors here to collect you." He concluded, waiting with his hand on the stair rail to see if they were ready to follow him.

Taylor grit his teeth, his fingernails digging into his palms, as he fought the urge to let his rising irritation lead him. He glanced at Aleister, who was watching his father with obvious suspicion, his arm around Grace's shoulders as he held her slightly behind him. He turned toward Sean, their eyes meeting in a look which conveyed their open distrust; but lack of other options. He sighed through his nose, looking finally at Jake, who merely winked at him unhelpfully. He snorted, rolling his eyes, before turning to Rourke with a groan. "You know the way?" He asked reluctantly.

"I know this island like the back of my hand." Rourke assured them with obvious false modesty. "Come now... time is of the essence." He said quickly, grinning widely, before he turned to bound up the stairs to the atrium.

"Not bad for a guy still weak from his stay in a tube," Taylor commented lightly, as his friends all looked around at each other, before following him at a more sedate pace. He hung back, waiting until he was alone with only Jake and Sean in Rourke's trashed trophy room.

"We can't  _seriously_  be taking him with us." Jake growled quietly, scowling after the suited man with obvious disdain. His eyes shifted to Taylor, softening as his lips attempted to twitch into a small smile.

"You got a better idea?" Sean asked dejectedly, heaving a weary sigh as he shrugged his shoulders. "He knows the way." Taylor scoffed, gesturing to the giant map on the screen, pinpointing where the Vaanti's home was situated with a raised brow. Sean opened his mouth to respond further, but was cut off as Jake beat him to it.

"You're saying we should  _trust_  this guy?" He asked, shaking his head in disbelief as he looked over to Sean. "Cap, how can you-"

"I'm saying, we need this guy." Sean growled, his hands curling into tight balls as he glared at Jake in exasperation.

Taylor glanced back at the map, shaking his head as he tried to see things from the athlete's perspective. However, all he could see was Rourke's smug smirk; as he held them all at gunpoint in a sterile, enclosed room. His heart sped up, pain swelling through him as he watched Michelle move frantically over a fallen Sean, his blood staining her hair as she tried to steady his blood loss. Craig was stood protectively in front of Zahra, though he was bleeding heavily from a wound Taylor couldn't see. Grace was being held back by Diego and Quinn, as she screamed and strained to get to Aleister, who was motionless on the ground between the group and his father; his pale form slowly dying a deep red. Estela was locked behind a glass door, hammering her hands against the thick barrier. Raj was struggling to restrain an irate Jake, as the pilot fought desperately to free, his eyes wild as he clawed threw himself against Raj's hold; just as Taylor himself was attempting to desperately reach his pilot, restrained by something or someone he couldn't see behind him. He blinked, and stumbled forward, the vision he'd been trapped in lost. He shook his head, clearing the residue of the heartache and fear from his system, as stinging tears sprung to his eyes. "Jake's right..." He whispered, hoping that the faint tremor in his thick voice wouldn't be noticed. He hurriedly dried his eyes on his sleeve, making it seem as if he were rubbing his brow tiredly as he cleared his throat and finally turned around to face them. "We're asking for trouble if we bring him. We've got  _no idea_  what his angle is."

Jake nodded, a proud grin on his face as he narrowed his eyes at Taylor, clearly noticing his attempts to hide his distress. "My point exactly." He said, turning reluctantly toward Sean, about to say something more when the athlete snapped.

"If I thought there was a better way to bring back Diego, don't you think I'd do it?" He roared, his expression fierce as he glared between them. Taylor swallowed, still shaken from the alternate memory which had so suddenly overwhelmed him. "Taylor, We gotta do whatever it takes to bring him back... And, if you're not willing to come if  _he's_  there well, I understand." He said. Taylor recoiled with a hiss, as if the athlete had struck him, a sharp stab of rage spiking through him at the other boys presumption.

"Low blow, Cap... Low blow!" Jake called, as Sean walked away, leaving the two of them alone. Taylor grit his teeth, his jaw locked as he tried to squash down the anger and guilt which flamed within his chest. "Hey, don't think like that." Jake said, successfully surprising Taylor out of his dazed state as he glanced up at him with wide eyes. "Heh, you get this little crease..." The pilot chuckled, stepping closer and pressing his fingers between his eyebrows. "Right  _here._  Means your thinking too much." He said quietly, his finger dropping to Taylors chin as he grinned at him. "I'm gettin' better at reading ya, Boy Scout."

Taylor sniggered, his irritation melting beneath his affection for the pilot. "No, you're not," he scoffed, his eyes meeting Jake's amused gaze. "You're just damn lucky."

"Sure got lucky meetin' you." Jake said with a cocky grin, and Taylor felt his cheeks flood with heat, as he laughed.

"Okay, that was  _smooth,_  I gotta admit." Taylor confessed, as Jake hummed and leaned forward to capture his lips in an uncharacteristically soft, and chase kiss. Taylor hummed, his fingers trailing up the pilots arms slowly. He pouted, as Jake pulled away with a chuckle, raising a brow in amusement.

"I could do that all day..." Jake said quietly, his eyes trailing over Taylors flushing cheeks, as he bit his lower lip and gazed back at the pilot. "But, first your gonna tell me what just happened, to freak you out so bad." He said, taking a step back as his eyes hardened with determination.

Taylor bit his lip harder, uncertainty warring within him, until he sighed and averted his eyes, trying to find the words to even begin explaining.  _When you cross that finish line, believe me you'll know._.. He thought, recalling Diego's unhelpful advice on the subject, and he laughed in surprise. "Sorry... I uh, was trying to think where to even start." He said, sighing as he moved around the pilot and brace his hands on the idols pedestal. "Since we got here... I-" he paused, swallowing thickly as the words caught in his throat.

"Taylor-"

"I get weird...  _feelings._  And I see stuff which feels so unbelievably real and it scares the hell outta me because, it makes me think that no matter what I do I can't  _change_  anything..." Taylor said in a rush, his chest tightening as he tried to explain. "Just now, talking about Rourke; I saw him... He'd shot Aleister, Sean... and I think Craig. I... I don't know  _how_  or, or  _why_  or... I know deep in my heart, that  _really_  happened. And, its  _not_  the only time..." He swallowed, flinching as a hand settled on his shoulder and slowly turned him around.

"Boy Scout, this doesn't make a damn lick of sense..." Jake said quietly, covering Taylors hand with his own, and ceasing the way he nervously scratched at his arm.

"Yeah." Taylor sighed, "I know." He added, attempting to look at the floor, only for Jake to slide his free hand beneath his chin and force him to meet his gaze.

"But, that doesn't mean I don't believe ya." The pilot said quietly, as Taylor flinched at the reminder of Diego's own reaction. "I admit, at first I was a little...  _dubious._  But, Boy Scout, the shit this island's thrown at us?" He said, shaking his head as he grinned at Taylors stunned expression. "Hell, at this point I'd be more surprised if there weren't some weirdass time loop involved somehow."

Taylor stared at Jake with wide eyes, his mouth opening but no sound escaping him as he tried to process the pilot's acceptance. His heart seemed to swell, to a point he was sure it might burst from the affection, and love he felt for the pilot. A choked half sob escaped him, as he rushed forward and stole a fervent kiss which he could only hope translated his speechless gratitude and relief.

"Okay,  _that..._  that I could get used to." Jake said, a soft grin on his lips as Taylor pulled away, gasping for the breath he'd denied himself.

"I thought you'd think I was crazy... You'd just..." Taylor babbled, his hand over his mouth as he traced his kiss swollen lips absently.

"I usually think you're crazy anyway, Boy Scout, what's one more reason?" The pilot sniggered, and Taylor scoffed at him, jabbing him in the arm playfully. Jake's expression turned serious, as he glanced towards the stairs. "This is a conversation we should probably continue at a better time. Right  _now_  we gotta get our shit together for this little rescue mission of yours... and, it looks like we're stuck with Rourke..." He said, offering Taylor the idol they'd hidden from Rourke. "You should keep that with you. If you think it's important, don't let that bastard get his mitts on it again."

Taylor groaned, ignoring the idol as he threw his head back and glared at the ceiling. "Maybe we are stuck with him..." He sighed. Giggling as he felt Jake lean forward and press a tickling kiss to his exposed throat. He gently pushed the pilot away, who pouted but relented with a roll of his eyes as Taylor stepped away. "But I guarantee; we'll keep an eye on him... Come on, lets get packed before the others think we're skiving off again." He said with a snort, reaching forward and lacing his fingers together with Jake's, smirking as he led him to the stairs.

Jake grumbled as they climbed back up to the atrium, walking to the lobby in a contented silence and stepping into the elevator after calling it down. He glanced at Jake, a small smile on his lips, as he released his pilot's hand and took the idol from him. They stepped out on the penthouse floor, and shared a heated look, filled with promise and intent, before walking in different directions to pack their things.

Taylor sighed as he reached his room, a goofy grin on his face as he leaned against the doorway, his eyes trailing to the bed as he bit his lip and recalled the intimate touch of his pilot. He shook his head, clearing his throat as he walked into the room, forcing his thoughts into sharp focus.  _What do you pack for a dangerous journey to rescue your best friend?_  He wondered, tossing the amber idol onto the bed as he began to rifle through his suitcase. He hummed, as he pulled out an over the shoulder messenger bag, large enough he could easily hide the idol, along with any others he felt certain he would find along the way. He stuffed Michelle's into the bottom of the bag, covering it with a change of clothes.

He glanced around the room, wondering what else he might actually need, when his eyes found a small shape on the bed. "Hm," he hummed thoughtfully, as he reached over and plucked it from the sheets, snorting in amusement upon discovering it was Jake's mystery item from the night they'd shared together. He shook his head, a devious curl to his lips as he opened his bag and dropped it inside. "I should  _definitely_  take this." He said, sniggering at his own private joke, as he sipped up the bag and slung it over his shoulder. He sighed, looking out through his broken window, as a brutally hot sun baked him. The cool breeze was long gone, and sweat formed quickly on his brow.  _That's gonna cause problems._.. He thought, before an image of a shirtless Jake sprang to mind, and he giggled.  _Or maybe it's a good thing after all_... He thought, starting guiltily as a knock sounded against his door. Quinn peeked her head in, a small smile on her lips as she took in the guilty blush on his cheeks.

"Everyone's downstairs," she said, choosing not to comment on his state, much to Taylors relief. "We're all ready to go... You got everything?" She asked, gesturing around the hotel in a vague wave. "Last time we'll be here for awhile..."

Taylor hesitated, glancing back at his bed with a soft grin. "I'm gonna  _miss_  this place..." He admitted fondly, his grin growing as he turned back to Quinn. "I know we've only been here..." He hesitated, wondering how many days they'd really spent at the hotel over the jumbled timelines, before shaking his head and pushing the thought away. "Uh, only been here six days... But, it almost started to feel like...  _home..."_  He said, trailing off at the warming thought.  _Home isn't the place, but the people you share it with..._  He thought, sighing as his heart swelled with affection for his friends.

"We certainly made some memories here!" Quinn giggled, her eyes darting to the dishevelled bedding. Taylor flushed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly as he pointedly avoided her gaze. He shifted his arm, wiping more sweat from his brow as he changed the subject.

"It's over a hundred degrees right now..." He muttered, looking out the window at the clear blue sky. "I thought it was supposed to be  _December!"_  He sighed, glaring balefully at the bright sunshine streaming in through the broken glass.

"Must be a heat wave." Quinn said, shrugging her shoulders unconcernedly. "Nothing about time on this island makes sense. I don't expect it to start now." She giggled, her eyes running over his clothes as she raised a brow at him. "You'll definitely want to wear the tight outfit for this trip..." She said, holding out a small bag with a knowing grin. "And who knows, maybe someone might think you look hot."

"That was  _awful._  Really awful. Never make puns again." Taylor sighed, shaking his head as he snatched the bag playfully from her hands. He glanced inside and laughed, looking back up with a grin. "You know the hassle I'm gonna get for wearing this..?" He laughed, as he drew the clothes out of the bag and began undressing, tossing the rope, shoulder harness and fingerless gloves into his bag.

"I'm pretty sure its gonna save you a lotta hassle trying to get it off when Jake sees you in it..." Quinn sniggered, turning around as he quickly tugged off his trousers and top and threw them in his bag. He pulled on the shorts and shirt Quinn had brought him, rolling the sleeves up his arms and only buttoning it halfway, sniggering to himself.

Finally, he slid on the sunglasses with a snort, and stepped into the new trainers. "How do I look?" He asked, and Quinn turned around, giggling as she caught sight of his partially done up shirt.

"Ready to face the heat!" She said, a broad smile on her face as her eyes crinkled in amusement. "All set?" She asked, as Taylor took one last look around his room.

He sucked in a deep breath, closing his eyes as he saw a flash of himself and Jake entwined together on the bed, followed by a flash of the pilots lifeless eyes. He felt a conflicting emotional response to such opposing scenes, both the best and worst he'd witnessed in the room, but he sighed, and looked to Quinn as he pushed them both away gently. " _All set_." He said quietly, gesturing for her to head out ahead of him. He followed her out into the hall, and closed the door behind him, refusing to look back despite the faint ache in his heart.

They rode the elevator to the lobby, and upon seeing them exiting, Rourke proceeded to turn on his heel and lead the group out into the notoriously hot December sun. Quinn and Taylor were content to bring up the rear, as they trudged into the sweltering rainforest, making a game of a hypothetical ways they might be able to ditch Rourke. "What if we... had Aleister pretend he's about to fall off a cliff, but when Rourke goes yo save him; we push him off instead..?" Quinn suggested, snickering behind her hand as she watched Taylor laugh with mirth glittering in her eyes.

"I like it, but you'd have to make adjustments... A, because Aleister would never help with that plan; or do anything that might embarrass him in front of Grace." Taylor said, imagining the look on Rourke's face as he went sailing off a cliff edge. "Also, you saw how Rourke treats his son, he wouldn't care if Aleister was about to fall..." He said, trailing off as he recalled the image of Aleister's motionless body. "We'd have to find something he thinks more of... Money, maybe?"

"Poor Aleister..." Quinn sighed, looking over to the pale boy, who's eyes flicked continually towards his father. "I can't imagine a person's own parent's being so...  _horrible_  to their own child." She said sympathetically, and Taylor was pleased his sunglasses hid his troubled gaze from her. He hummed in a general but vague response, unable to find even a vague memory of his childhood to recall whether he even knew his parents. He coughed awkwardly, unease curling in his gut, and he quickly changed the subject.

"What if it we dug a deep pit to catch that sabertooth, but then use him as the bait?" He asked, grinning with relief when Quinn began giggling.

"But he'd never agree to that, Taylor." She sniggered, brushing her fingers across a thick tree trunk as she passed by. "You didn't think that one through very well, did you?" She accused.

"Oh, I did." Taylor assured her, grinning broadly at the redhead. "The plan was to push him in as soon as it was ready. He'd never be able to resist checking it out, hoping he'd be able to snag the tiger for a trophy." He said, as Quinn broke out in loud peals of laughter. She was about to say more, when another voice cut over her.

"Damn, are we doing some photo shoot later, and I missed the memo?" Jake drawled, dropping back to join them, his eyes lingering on Taylors exposed chest. "You look like a supermodel, just need another button or two open..." He chuckled, winking suggestively.

"Shut up," Taylor snorted, reaching out to shove the pilot playfully. "You just drop back here to ogle me?" He teased, glancing at the pilot over his sunglasses as he threw the pilots words from their observatory hike, back at him.

Jake chuckled dryly, his eyes travelling over Taylor appreciatively, before he grinned and winked once more.  _"Guilty."_  He glanced over head, grimacing as he wiped his brow. "Certainly looks like smart clothin' for the trek though. It's gotta be a hundred and twenty degrees... and a thousand percent humidity." He sighed, shaking his head forlornly.

Taylor giggled, leaning over to murmur in the pilots ear. "You could always take your shirt off..." He whispered, laughing when the pilot shivered as the way Taylors soft breath caressed his throat. "...or at least your  _jacket!"_  He added, sniggering as the pilot laughed quietly.

"Now  _who_  just wants to ogle  _who?"_  The pilot asked, raising a brow that Taylor responded to with a salacious wink, making the pilot snort and chuckle.

"That is neither how percentages nor humidity work..." Aleister replied hesitantly, his usually biting tone somewhat dulled by either the intense heat; or his fathers discomforting presence within the group. "Nevertheless, I concur." He added, his pale cheeks flushing from the overwhelming temperature.

"It's so bright, I can hardly see..." Zahra complained, shielding her eyes against the sun which shone down on them, barely dulled through the thick canopy. "And if I have to hear about Craig being sticky  _one_  more time-"

"But I  _am_  sticky!" Craig cried, his expression distraught as he spread his arms toward Zahra.  _"Feel!"_

"I absolutely, will  _not_  feel." Zahra intoned, her face falling as she eyed his thick arms.

"Aw, come on Snape, you know you wanna really..." Taylor teased, earning himself a scowl and a rude gesture involving the girls middle finger.

"I know its hot, but come on guys. Diego..." Grace said, glancing back at Taylor with a gentle smile. "He's counting on us!"

"Never give up! Never surrender!" Raj cried, his arm raised as if to lead them into battle. "No matter how toasty it gets outside, we're coming for you Diego!" He promised, shaking his fist at the sun as it filtered through the tree above them.

 _"Hmm,"_  Taylor hummed with a grin, stretching with a very deliberate wink towards Jake. "I don't know what you guys are talking about... I'm feeling  _great!"_  He teased, laughing when both Quinn and Jake sniggered at his overly innocent expression.

"You know, I  _really_  wanna hate you right now, Taylor." Craig groused, grinning despite his best efforts to pout. "But I can't... 'Cause you look too damn fly."

Taylor ran a hand through his hair with a dramatic sigh. "I know." He said, before dissolving into a fit of giggles with everyone else.

"The sooner we get there, the sooner we can stop walking. Doesn't  _that_  sound pleasant?" Rourke snarked sarcastically, rolling his eyes at their antics. Taylor immediately scowled at him, his light mood soured by the mans interaction with them. "Now hurry up."

"Hey asshole, this is a private party." Taylor said, before pausing as he considered something. "Hmm, I shouldn't call you that... I call Aleister that... I wouldn't wanna sour the name by associating it with an egotistical, diaper wearing, egg sucker like yourself." He said lightly, tapping his chin thoughtfully, as Aleister snorted with barely disguised amusement.

"Now see; I was gonna say you were amazing there, Boy Scout, but  _egg sucker_? That was the  _best_  you could come up with?" Jake sighed, shaking his head as he looked up at the canopy, his lips twitching in obvious amusement despite his disappointed tone.

"Quiet you, I'm thinking." Taylor said quickly, patting the pilot on the shoulder affectionately as he threw him a cheeky wink. "Hmm, how about... Limey Gasbag?" He offered, before shaking his head, ignoring his friends giggles around him, though he grinned when Aleister raised a hand to discreetly cover his the twitch of his lips. "On second thought, that's a little too long winded. I think I'll just call you  _Wanker,_  and be done with it." He said lightly, a lazy smirk on his face as Raj, Zahra and Craig offered him high fives.

 _"That's_  my Boy Scout." Jake said, beaming a wide grin, as he winked at him proudly. Taylor felt himself flush with warmth, undeniably giddy from the pilots soft praise and subtle claiming. A fluttering sensation rolled through his stomach, and he continued through the dense jungle with light steps, his mind lost to the pleasant feelings the pilot instilled within him.

Rourke looked about to respond, when Sean tactfully stepped in, throwing a withering glare toward Taylor; who merely shrugged unrepentantly.

"Mr. Rourke, you're not even sweating... How is that possible?" The athlete asked, stepping up beside the suited man and successfully turning his attention from Taylors insults.

"Impeccable conditioning." The man replied proudly, a smug grin on his face that made Taylor wish he could feed him to T'kal.  _Where's the damn sabertooth when you want it_? He thought sourly.

"I bet you just Botox'd your damn sweat glands shut." Jake growled, scowling at the man in irritation. Taylor sniggered, half turning towards Jake when he was struck by a sudden throbbing headache pounding through his skull. He gasped, doubling over in pain as he clutched at his head. Visions flashed before his eyes, just as vivid and realistic as any he'd known.

He saw Quinn, looking at a river in obvious trepidation, her entire posture rigid in her discomfort. "...  _This river looks pretty deep. How are we supposed to get across..?_ " He heard her mumble, her voice distorted by the vision.

He sae Rourke, looking at him in obvious curiosity, a barely disguised hunger in his eyes. "...  _I had my people search all over the world for you. And we could never find you_..." The smug man said, a frown twisting his face at his initial plans being so unknowingly foiled.

" _Taylor! You don't even understand how much you just saved my life!"_  He heard Michelle cry, as Rourke thankfully disappeared. She materialised before him, throwing her arms around his neck in joy.

The petite blonde disappeared too, replaced with a proudly grinning Sean, who held out his hand to offer something unseen towards Taylor. " _Check it out... I found it at the bottom..."_

The athlete disappeared, replaced by Jake, although whatever scenery was around him was entirely distorted. The pilot beamed a smile, his eyes soft as he looked at the blurry scene which Taylor couldn't make out. "...  _Damn. Couldn't you just stay here forever..?"_  He said, his voice echoing as the visions faded away.

Taylor gasped a deep breath, his body trembling with the shock of all he'd seen, as his headache receded as suddenly as it came on.  _"Taylor!"_  Jake whispered furiously, his face coming into focus suddenly as he stepped closer, his eyes wide as he tried to make Taylor look at him.  _"Holy shit..._  You scared the crap out me." The pilot sighed, upon Taylors finally meeting his clear eyes.

Taylor looked up to see the rest of his friends had all continued on ahead, none of them appearing to have noticed his sudden attack. He swallowed heavily, shaking his head to clear the lingering fuzziness left behind by the strange but intense visions. "I'm okay..." He assured Jake, nodding his head briefly, though his breathless tone did nothing to reassure his pilot.

"It was one of those things you see, wasn't it? They come with bad headaches when they hit you suddenly, right?" The pilot demanded quietly, after checking the others; and especially Rourke, weren't within hearing range. His cerulean eyes raked over Taylor worriedly, and he couldn't help the swell of affection he felt towards the pilot at his obvious concern.

"Jake, really, I'm fine...  _Now."_  He said with a faint wince, rubbing his forehead as a brief jab of pain speared through him, as if to counter his pronouncement. "It hits so hard sometimes... But it goes just as quick, I promise." He assured, though Jake still looked sceptical. He leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to the corner of the pilots mouth, though Jake quickly twisted to steal a chaste kiss of his own, before he could draw away. He smiled, the tremors in his body finally easing. "I'm  _okay,_  Top Gun." He said softly, as Iris floated back over to them.

"Are you alright, Taylor?" She inquired, her expression showing her concern for him, something which sparked a warmth within his heart.

"I, uh...-" Taylor began, only to cut off abruptly when Quinn's voice drifted over to them, and he immediately felt the blood drain from his face.

"This river looks pretty deep..." The redhead said hesitantly, as Taylor gripped Jake's arm tightly, his fingers curling into claws in the sleeve of his jacket. "How are we supposed to get across?" She asked, her posture rigid with discomfort.

"... Wait-" Taylor muttered, shaking his head. He looked over to the group, to find they'd arrived at the banks of a rushing river. "This is it..." He whispered, his body beginning to tremble once more. "I saw... I knew, Quinn was gonna say that. I  _knew_  it. I heard it in my head, I  _saw_  her, as she stands  _right now_."

"Is this how it usually happens?" Jake asked, his fingers gently prying Taylors clenched hand from his jacket so he could squeeze his hand in a gesture of reassurance.

Taylor shook his head, frowning at the group as they watched the river rage before them. "Usually I get this feeling, a sense that something isn't quite right or is about to happen... It's like déjà vu." He explained, as Jake nodded thoughtfully. "I usually just see the one thing, but  _this..._  There was something about almost everyone; even  _goddamn_  Rourke..! It's different. Like, it's... It's  _concentrated,_  and, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do..." He said, worrying his lip over the vague visions he'd seen.

"Scanning..." Iris said, frowning thoughtfully as she searched her databanks rapidly. "I detect a disturbance in the tachyon field." Iris said, her eyes widening in surprise. "It seems we have entered a time loop!" The A.I. explained with a faint gasp. She looked at Taylor with both confusion and awe, shaking her blue head lightly. "Such phenomena normally cannot be sensed by humans... yet apparently,  _you_  can see it."

Taylor felt his heart sink, chewing his lip nervously until Jake pressed his thumb between them, drawing his attention from his impending, internal meltdown. "Just  _breathe,_  Boy Scout. You got this.  _We_  got this." The pilot said confidently, soothing Taylors frayed nerves before he became too lost in his own self pity. "Now, Princess Leia, what exactly is the deal with this 'time loop' business?" The pilot asked, looking at Iris as Taylor slowly sucked his thumb into his mouth. He snorted, when Jake's eyes drifted almost unconsciously to the sight, clearly remembering their time in the bar together.

"A period of approximately one hour and twelve minutes will repeat indefinitely..." Iris replied, tilting her head and raising her brows before continuing. "Even this conversation, should you choose to have it again."

"Wait, we're stuck here forever?!" Jake cried, his eyes widening as he turned to the A.I. before darting back to Taylor in a faint scowl, as he licked at his thumb, before releasing it. "How do we break the damn loop?" The pilot growled, glaring around the jungle as if it were personally to blame for their predicament. "If you got one of your little memory replays, then do you know how many times we've repeated this already?" He asked, his frustration clearing somewhat, as he turned to Taylor thoughtfully.

"Doesn't work like that, Top Gun. Besides, I think this is different from the sort of thing I normally see..." Taylor hummed, reaching forward to lace his fingers with Jake's. "This is specific to an hour and twelve minutes, but the things I usually see... Like the one before, with Rourke; they're not so...  _confined._  See, I never guessed the password in Rourke's office before. Whatever I saw when we were in Rourke's trophy room, that wasn't something that happened because he came with us; its more..."

"What he's gonna do to us  _anyway?"_  The pilot guessed, and Taylor shrugged noncommittally, glancing away.

"It's  _not_  gonna happen again." He muttered darkly, as Jake drew his face back towards him, forcing him to meet his gaze as he lowered his sunglasses.

"Damn right it ain't." The pilot said, squeezing his hand briefly before turning back to Iris. "So, back on point; can we break outta this infinite hour and twelve minute loop, and if so how?"

"There must be a source of the time disturbance nearby." Iris explained, her eyes flashing as she searched for any intel she could find to help them. "You must destroy it, to escape the loop."

"Okay then, destruction city here we come." Jake said lightly, though Taylor could see the hard set of the pilots tense shoulders. "We should tell the others." He said, tugging Taylors hand lightly as he stepped toward the group.

 _"Warning."_  Iris said suddenly, her eyes u usually blank as she stared at them. "Informing them of the temporal vortex may cause irreparable damage to space-time." She said, shaking her head as her eyes cleared of the shadow which had claimed them.

 _"Seriously?"_  Jake scoffed incredulously, frowning after the others in obvious scepticism. "We can't tell 'em about it without reality caving in on itself?" He snorted in disbelief, rolling his eyes as he sighed."You're sayin' we're on our own?" He asked quietly, and Taylor squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"At least we don't have to do it  _alone..."_  Taylor said lightly, offering a crooked grin to the pilot, as he peered over the top of his sunglasses. Jake huffed a laugh, nodding as Iris's drone whirled thoughtfully.

"Indeed, it is remarkable that Jake has not been caused any discomfort by learning of the time loop..." The hologram said, her hands clasping together loosely before her waist. "Were you previously aware of any time-flux related phenomena?"

Jake and Taylor exchanged a glance, and Taylor began to snigger, his eyes crinkling in amusement behind his sunglasses, as Jake chuckled and squeezed his hand. "You could say that." Taylor said, looking to Jake with fond affection in his eyes.

 _"Fascinating."_  Iris said, her eyes flashing rapidly as she stored the information away in her databanks.  _"Ahem,_  my apologies." She said, her eyes clearing suddenly as she glanced back at them. "In regards to your other friends, there may yet be way to have them help you break the indefinite cycle."

"Okay, first things first; we gotta find the source of the time loop." Taylor said firmly, drawing a warm smile from his pilot.

"You got this." Jake murmured encouragingly, just as Estela clambered upon a huge, fallen tree trunk.

"Over here, guys!" She called, waving to grab everyone's attention. "This fallen tree goes all the way across... We can use it as a bridge." She said, crouching to offer her hand to Quinn, as the group lined up single file to cross the river via the moss covered log. Taylor glanced at Jake, offering him a beaming grin and releasing his hand, before he moved away to line up after Zahra. He followed her onto the narrow, slick log and together, they inched their way across.

"This is total bull." Zahra groused, scowling at the moss coveted log beneath their feet, as she shuffled along its slippery surface. "I do  _not_  do outdoors." She muttered venomously.

"You can make it, Zahra." Taylor encouraged, his eyes locked onto the moss strewn log beneath them, as he struggled to keep his balance.

"I  _know_  I can make it." Zahra said scathingly, throwing a weak glare over her shoulder, as she wobbled briefly. "I'm just... a little out of my element." She snarked, turning forward again, just as her foot slipped on the damp moss.  _"Whoaaa!"_  She cried, teetering om her toes, about to fall in. Taylor was about to reach toward her, when an itch at the back of his mind made him hesitate. The momentary lapse cost him however, as Zahra lost her balance and fell headfirst into the river.

"Oh my  _god,_  Zahra!" Taylor called, dropping to his stomach heavily against the log, stretching his hand towards her as she resurfaced. She quickly grabbed it, and he hoisted her back onto the log as she coughed up water.

 _"Pffbll!"_  She gagged, glaring at Taylor as she finally regained some control over her breathing, and stopped coughing up water.  _"Urgh!_  Thanks for the help, Taylor." She said, narrowing her eyes at him over his hesitation. She shook her soaking wet hair out of her face and sighed, as she rolled her eyes and offered him a flash of a grin. "And... thanks for the help." She said more genuinely, in regards to his help getting her out of the water so quickly.

"No sweat." He chuckled, beaming a wide grin at her, relieved she hadn't been hurt because of his momentary indecision.  _Maybe the alternate memories might help me solve all this crazy.._. He thought uncertainly, flinching at the sting of having had no warning over Diego's abduction.  _Can I really afford to be so sensitive about it though..? Maybe I should just get a grip and stop being so selfish about accepting the help..._  He thought, grimacing at himself for his own logical thinking.

"Uh... could someone gimme a hand up?" Zahra asked, glancing back at the river warily. "There's something  _glowing_  at the bottom of the river and, I want the hell away from it!" She said, her eyes wide, as Taylor and Craig helped her back to her feet; though they sniggered the entire time. "I hate you  _both_  so much right now." She muttered lowly, as Craig turned around and offered her a piggy back ride over the make shift bridge. She glanced around, before climbing up quickly with Taylors help, and Craig carried her the rest of the way across without further issue.

"Hey, what was it?" Taylor asked, hopping down from the log as Craig carefully set Zahra down on the ground. "The thing in the river..?" He clarified, when she looked over with a raised brow.

"I have  _no idea,_  but it's creepy as all hell." She said, taking her jacket off and swinging it around to dry it out, laughing hard when it hit Craig in the face. " _Oh my god,_  that was priceless..." She sniggered, and even Craig laughed as he watched her sling it over her shoulder, looking back at Taylor thoughtfully. "It's way down there, and even if I  _wanted_  to find out; which I do  _not,_  by the way, I'm nowhere near a good enough swimmer to dive that deep."

Taylor hummed thoughtfully, storing the information away as he watched Jake nimbly cross the log himself.  _Show off..._  He thought fondly, as the pilot winked at him and landed on the far side of the river with a small hop and a bow. He snorted, rolling his eyes behind his sunglasses, and turned to follow the others. With everyone across the river, the group continued on their journey. Taylor glanced back with a frown, when Rourke whistled cheerfully to himself, immediately suspicious of the man. "Alright, Wanker." He said, dropping back to Rourke's side, despite feeling uncomfortable at the close proximity with the man. "You promised me some answers."

Rourke ignored him, continuing to whistle merrily until he had finished his tune, at which point he turned a blinding grin towards Taylor; who was vastly unimpressed. "Do you know what business I'm in?" He asked, his fingers drumming against where he held his jacket lapels as he walked.

"I  _literally_  do not care." Taylor replied, pleased that his sunglasses would hide the obvious irritation in them.

"I dabble," Rourke said with a shrug, utterly unaffected by Taylors response or his attitude. "But mainly, I'm in the business of information... And that means, I don't give it away for free. I expect a  _trade."_  He said smugly, as Taylor rolled his eyes, figuring he should have expected such a remark. "I'll answer one question of yours. Only one. But, first, you will answer one of mine.  _Fair?"_

"Please,  _nothing_  about you is fair." Taylor snorted, lowering his sunglasses enough that he could glare at the other man in blatant distrust. "If you wanna know something so bad, there's no doubt in my mind; I should  _not_  tell you."

"A wise deduction for any business man." Rourke said proudly, "however I have little to gain from this information. Judge for yourself how badly you wish to know the answer to your own question. You can always refuse to answer my own, if you think it too 'empowering'." Rourke said with a smug grin, his teeth flashing in the bright sunlight as Taylor scowled at him.

 _Never trust a snake, one with three heads especially_. He thought acidly, though he had to admit, Rourke had information they may need. "Fine, ask." He said reluctantly, immediately on guard as he expected something outrageous.

"Good lad," Rourke said condescendingly. "My question is very simple." He said, stopping on the trail and allowing the others to wall a short ways ahead, before turning to Taylor with a wide grin and a burning desire for his answer. Taylor immediately felt uncomfortable, deciding whatever Rourke wanted to know so badly could never be a good thing. " _What is your name?"_

Taylor frowned, glancing at the group slowly ambling ahead of them, certain one of them would have used his name around the man at some point. He turned to Rourke, who seemed to be almost vibrating with the desire to hear the answer. "It's..." He hesitated, recalling a saying he'd heard from somewhere.  _A name holds power, do not be so eager to give power over yourself to another, by giving your own name so freely._  He shook his head, unable to remember where the thought had come from. He looked back at Rourke, who was frowning with impatience, but clearly biting his tongue to wait for his reply. "It's Taylor." He said, a strange sinking sensation in his stomach.

"Taylor...  _Taylor..."_  Rourke muttered, his beaming smile returning as he eyed Taylor like a Lepidopterist might ogle a Palos Verdes Blue. "What a  _delicious_  name..." Rourke commented, successfully making Taylor feel even more uncomfortable than he already did around the man, something Taylor thought quite the achievement. "I had my people search all over the world for you. And we could  _never_  find you." He said, shaking his head as his eyes travelled over Taylor with an obvious and intense desire to know everything about him. "And to realize that all this time, you were a student at Hartfeld, like Aleister..." He sighed in mock shame, shaking his head again as his eyes took on a calculating gleam. "Let's just say, if we survive this, I'll be firing my intelligence staff."

"All right, you've gotten  _more_  than enough out of us today." Taylor said, scowling to hide his distinct unease. "My turn to ask questions..." He said darkly, watching as Rourke spread his hands in a sign of his openness. Taylor rolled his eyes, wondering which question he should pick from the hundreds they'd collected as a group since their arrival. He looked after the others, his gut twisting as he considered their fears upon first reaching the island, and finding it deserted. "Where is everyone?" He asked finally, looking back at Rourke to gauge his answer. "The guests at The Celestial, the staff... What happened to them?" He asked, his eyes narrowing when Rourke smirked, and he quickly cut in before the man could respond. "We know they went to the emergency shelter, but there was no trace after that."

"When it became clear that Mount Atropo was to erupt in a cataclysmic event, I ordered a full evacuation." Rourke said smoothly, looking in the general direction of the volcano almost wistfully. "I can only pray they all made it out safely." He said, his face falling in appropriate concern, though Taylor didn't believe the mans sincerity for a second. "That's as much as your getting out of me for now. We must focus on the road ahead." Rourke said, his remorseful expression clearing as he shoo-ed Taylor away and moved off after the others.

Taylor grinned, thinking that at least the man wouldn't remember anything when the time loop reset. He looked after the group, and his breath caught, upon seeing Jake standing high atop a boulder, peering northeast. The pilot turned, grinning at him, as he hopped down. "There's a nice clearing out that way, to the right." He said pointedly, grinning broadly as he barely concealed a wink towards Taylor. "The river ends in this beautiful lake if you follow it a bit..." He said innocently, and Taylor raised a hand to his mouth, hiding his goofy grin.

"Hm." Estela hummed thoughtfully, might be useful to get our bearings." She admitted, leaning against a tree and folding her arms over her chest, watching Taylor and Jake with a knowing look in her eyes.

" _I_  could go..." Taylor suggested, feeling his cheeks flush with heat as everyone turned towards him. "I mean, it does look beautiful put there." He added, peering around the boulder as if he could see the lake already. With a sudden and startling clarity, he realised he really could; and he wondered how many times they'd been through the time loop already.

"You... want some company?" Jake asked, grinning broadly as his eyes smouldered. Taylor shivered, trying hard to hide a grin as he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"I guess you could tag along, Top Gun..." He said, knocking their shoulders together as he passed him, throwing the pilot a cheeky wink over his sunglasses. He heard Jake chuckle in amusement, and glanced back to find him happily trailing begin him, his eyes on his ass.

"Well, we might as well get comfortable." Estela said, shaking her head as she fought the telltale twitch of her lips. Taylor faced forward again, hiding his blush as he and Jake followed the river. He sighed, watching the water as it slowly grew from a small to a wide river. He felt Jake's hand creep into his own, the pilot stepping up beside him, as they finally reached the clearing. A gorgeous, shimmering lake sparkled before him, and he felt a sense of peacefulness settle within him.

 _"Wow..."_  He murmured, taking off his sunglasses and looking around at the beautiful sight. "It's beautiful."

"Yeah, you could say that..." Jake agreed distractedly, frowning off at something else he'd spotted. "Hey, does that look like  _snow_  to you?" Taylor followed the pilots finger, where he pointed to a mountain range on the opposite side of the lake, which gleamed white in the sun.

"You're right!" He gasped, his eyes wide as he stared in surprise at the white peaks. "In the middle of a heat wave? I didn't think the mountains were tall enough for that..."

"Yeah." Jake said, flashing him an approving grin as his clear eyes met Taylors dark ones. "'Cause they're  _not."_  He said, leading Taylor over to the base of the mountains, where snow had piled up in the shade.

Taylor reached down and scooped a handful up, gasping at its cold chill. "It  _is_  snow!" He said, letting the snow fall back yo the pile.

"This place is making less and less sense every minute." Jake sighed, shaking his head as he stepped up to the waters edge and skipped a pebble across its placid surface. Taylor watched him from a few steps behind, an idea forming as they stood under the blistering sun. "Damn hot out... Could use a minute to cool off." Jake called back, as Taylor began to slip out of his clothes, his heart beating faster with both nerves and excitement.

He piled his clothes and shoes by a tall tree, a safe distance from the waters edge, and then stepped up behind Jake, gently laying hos hands over the pilots eyes. "Hmm, well this just got interesting..." Jake hummed amusedly, as Taylor slowly turned him around to face his piled clothing. He pressed a light kiss just behind the pilots ear, before he pushed him forward and ran back into the water.  _"Whoa!_  Okay, that did  _not_  go where I thought it was-" He laughed when Jake fell silent, his eyes landing on Taylors bundled clothes.

"I think we should go for a swim..." He called, giggling as he splashed just out of his depth. His cheeks flamed as Jake turned toward him with wide eyes, but he sniggered as the pilot began to strip off his own layers. He ducked his head under the water and swum a short distance away, biting his lip as the excitement within him grew, making it seem as if his stomach were filled with flapping wings. He broke the surface with a gasp, wiping the cool, crisp water from his face as he heard Jake wade in to join him. He felt instantly refreshed from his dip, but as he opened his eyes and saw Jake swimming towards him, his damp hair clinging to his cheeks; he felt himself burn all over again, for reasons nothing to do with the sun.

"Damn..." Jake murmured, grinning around the area with barely hidden wonder. "Couldn't you just stay here forever?" He asked, glancing over when Taylor began laughing.

"More than you know!" He giggled, his eyes crinkling in amusement. Jake watched him a moment, before understanding lit his eyes, and he chuckled dryly.

"Used that line before, have I?" He guessed, shaking his head when Taylor giggled again and nodded. The pilot hummed, looking around once more as his gaze turned reminiscent. "Growing up in Louisiana..." He began hesitantly, glancing to Taylor, as he swam over and smiled warmly at the pilot. "I used to swim in the bayou all the time. We'd have to clear out real quick if a gator showed up though..." He said, smiling almost sadly at the sparkling water around them.

"You miss home... don't you?" Taylor said, resting his hand on the pilots arm reassuringly.

"Hm?" Jake hummed, his eyes clouded with sadness as he shook his head and averted them.  _"Nah..._  not much back there for me anymore." He said, and Taylor shivered as he realised that Jake no longer recalled having shared his past with him. Varyyn's necklace had reset time, and with it, the pilots memory. His heart sank, as he mourned their lost time together. The cold lake water began to chill his bones, and he felt himself tremble. "You shivering?" Jake asked, his eyes soft as he turned back to Taylor, a distinct sadness in them although the pilot was clearly doing everything he could to ignore it.

 _"Mmmaybbbe..."_  Taylor said, wrapping his arms around himself as if to contain his grief. His shivers grew deeper, the chill setting into his bones, as he felt Jake reach over and slowly steer him into shallower waters.

"Here." The pilot murmured, gently prying Taylors arms from around his own torso, and taking him into his arms instead. "I'll warm you up." He said quietly, as they floated together in the pristine waters.

Taylors hand moved slowly up Jake's chest, sliding around his neck as his fingers curled into his hair. He bit his lip, sucking in a deep breath as his heart raced, before pulling him closer. His lips were gentle at first, tentative as they brushed against the pilots, but they quickly grew more insistent; and in moments, he was kissing the pilot deeply. He felt a rush of warmth in his gut, as Jake's hands slid below the water, curling around his thighs as he picked Taylor up easily.  _"Hmmpf!"_  He groaned, as the pilot never broke their kiss, their tongues colliding passionately as Taylor wrapped his legs around Jake's waist. He wrapped his free arm around Jake's shoulders, pulling him closer, as he felt blood rush through his body in an excited frenzy.

"Feeling warmer?" Jake murmured, as he pulled away to trail light, tickling kisses along his jaw.

"Hmm, you  _could_  say that." Taylor said breathlessly, as Jake turned and laid him down at the edge of the lake, their bodies half in and half out of the water. He gasped, as the pilots hands caressed his thigh, sliding higher to cup his ass as he reclaimed his lips in a deep and passionate kiss.  _"Mmm!"_  He hummed, as Jake's tongue toyed with his own, drawing tremors from his body for reasons entirely unrelated to the cold.

He pressed himself up against the pilot, squirming beneath his strong body, as Jake rocked against him. He hummed with heavy desire, his hands stroking teasingly down the pilots sides, drawing murmurs of approval from him as his kisses turned more demanding in response.  _"Jake..."_  He murmured, tearing his lips free briefly, and raising his hips against the pilot to press his arousal firmly against him. Jake groaned, rocking himself tightly against Taylor, his fingers sliding eagerly to his tight entrance.

Taylor threw his head back, a wave of desire coursing through him, as the pilot gently pressed inside him. He squirmed, pressing up against the intruding fingers, as he bit his lip to contain his moans. "Ah ah, Boy Scout..." Jake murmured, his lips hot and demanding against his throat, as Taylor writhed beneath him. "I wanna hear...  _everything."_  He said, sinking into a demanding kiss with Taylor, as the pilot hooked his fingers inside inside him, eliciting a rapturous cry which he immediately captured with his lips. He groaned, rocking himself against Taylor and pressing their erections together, as his fingers continued to work within Taylors ass.

Taylor felt his senses heighten, the dirt beneath his shoulders pleasantly scratchy; the water around their hips cooling the rapidly boiling blood in his veins, enough to leave him amid a pleasant torture. He gasped, as Jake removed his fingers from him, his cock rutting against his own once more, before the hard flesh pressed against his entrance. "Yes..." He murmured, surging up to cover the pilots throat with hot and hungry kisses, as Jake groaned and bit his shoulder gently.  _"Yes!"_  He cried, his voice lost against the pilots throat as he clung to the other man in desperate need.

As Jake pressed fully into him, he felt his jaw go slack, a low groan of deep satisfaction escaping him before he could contain it by biting his lip. He gasped, as Jake immediately began to move, his gentle thrusts causing the eater to lap against the shore beneath his shoulders. He felt a deep rumble from Jake's chest, reverberating through his own as the pilot released his shoulder and claimed his lips in a deep and passionate kiss which Taylor eagerly returned. They rocked together, the water lapping in greater waves around them as they picked up speed, driving themselves closer to euphoria together.

Taylor curled a hand around his cock, gasping as he felt Jake's fingers dig into his thigh and behind his neck in response, allowing the pilot to thrust his tongue into his mouth as he stroked himself in time to their building rhythm.  _"Taylor-"_  Jake muttered, breaking free to press their his forehead to Taylors shoulder, his body trembling as Taylor tensed around him, on the verge of orgasm.

 _"Jake!"_  Taylor cried, his cock erupting between them as he fell from the peak, his orgasm rushing through him and causing his ass to clamp around Jake, drawing a hiss from the pilot as he raised himself enough to press a hard kiss to Taylors lips. Their tongues collided in desperate passion, the pilots breath hitching as his own orgasm struck him, his fingers alternately clutching at Taylors thigh and massaging it. Their lips parted, their panted breaths mingling, as their eyes met in a heavy haze of lust and satisfaction.

 _"That..."_  Jake huffed, pressing a kiss to Taylors temple, as he inhaled a deep breath through his nose. "That is  _definitely_  worth gettin' caught in a damn time loop for." He murmured, burying his face against Taylors throat, who sniggered and ran his fingers through the pilots hair; drawing him closer as they lay entwined together.

"We should probably head back..." Taylor suggested, giggling when Jake merely groaned in disapproval, more interested in tickling his throat with teasing kisses. "You realise neither of us were exactly subtle..?" He laughed, wriggling aside to tear his throat from the pilots clutches.

"Hmm, they're all just jealous." The pilot huffed, grinning as he shifted and gently disentangled himself from taylor, sitting beside him in the shallow water.

"Oh? Is that so?" Taylor laughed, getting to his feet with a sappy grin, as a pleasant ache spread through his body.

"Yup, it's why Captain America keeps arguin' with ya so much." Jake said seriously, as Taylor gasped loudly, splashing the pilot with a face full of water as he passed.

"You meant for  _yourself?_  Oh that's it..." Taylor huffed, stalking back to his clothes, while Jake merely laughed at his outrage. "If we're stuck in this loop again, you are so  _not_  getting any next time around, Top Gun!" He groused playfully, struggling into his clothes. He felt arms slide around his waist, and he peeked over his shoulder with, as he tried to suppress a grin. Jake pressed a kiss to his shoulder, his cerulean eyes smouldering with both promise and mischief, before he quickly darted forward to catch Taylor in a fierce and breathtaking kiss.  _"Hmm..."_  Taylor hummed, as Jake finally released him, smirking as he winked at the pilot. "I could...  _probably_  be convinced..." He murmured, stealing another brief kiss, as Jake grinned widely at him. "Now get dressed," he sniggered, as he grabbed his sunglasses and sat them on his head. He watched as Jake did as he was bid, and before long they were strolling back down the river, catching up with the rest of the group as they approached an ancient, eroded stone pillar.

Taylor glanced at Jake, meeting his obviously amused gaze as the pilot winked at him, before shaking his head and jogging away to talk to Sean. "Hey there, Taylor." The athlete greeted, smiling widely, though his eyes were slightly guarded. "Hot as hell, isn't it? Kinda wishing I'd jumped in the river back there." He said, and Taylor flushed, recalling his own dip in the lake.

"I would've liked to see you fall in." He said with a chuckle and a cocky grin, coughing slightly to hide his minor guilty conscience.

"Yeah, but that's 'cause you want this whole expedition to turn into a wet t-shirt contest." Sean laughed, glancing back towards the river longingly. "The current looked pretty fast... Fortunately, I'm a strong swimmer." He said, smiling fondly as his gaze turned reminiscent. "Back in sophomore year, I blew out my knee. It took a whole lot of rehab, which was swimming. I always thought there was something really calming about it. It centered me." He said, shrugging free of his memories as he grinned crookedly.

Taylor gaped at him, his mind racing as he quickly assembled a plan to potentially end the time loop. "Hey, you know..." He said leadingly, gesturing towards the river. "Zahra said she saw something at the bottom of the river... Think you could grab it for me?" He asked, grinning innocently.

Sean watched him a moment, considering before he grinned. "Sure thing." He said, gesturing for Taylor to lead the way. "Is there uh, any kinda reward for playin' fetch?" The athlete asked, as they made their way back towards the river. Taylor tensed, an immediate awkwardness to his frame which had Sean laughing. "Guess that answers  _that_  question!" He said, shaking his head as he pulled off his shirt.

"Sean..." Taylor said hesitantly, rubbing the back of his neck as his cheeks flamed with embarrassment. "I-"

"Hey, had to ask." Sean said, shrugging indifferently, though Taylor still felt a pang of guilt for the faint glimpse of disappointment in the athletes expression. "Just uh, didn't realise you guys were... a  _serious..._  thing, yet." He admitted bashfully.

"It's not..." Taylor hedged, averting his eyes as he admitted in a quieter voice. "To him..." He glanced at Sean's confused expression, and sighed as he scratched his arm in awkward frustration. "If I said that... I've had enough time to know that he's  _'the one'_  to me... Would you think me too cheesy?" He asked, his cheeks staining pink at the confession.

Sean watched him for a long moment, before shaking his head slowly.  _"No..."_  The dark skinned boy said hesitantly, his eyes gentle as they swept over Taylors evident embarrassment. "I'd say he's damn luckier than he realises... or maybe deserves. But, you obviously know something more about him that I don't... And clearly, you see something behind all that... Gruff, exterior and crap..."

Taylor shifted uncomfortably, half wanting to admit his reasons, knowing the athlete wouldn't remember if they were to go through the time loop again; but also unwilling to risk the unknown risk to his friend via the 'irreparable damage to space-time' which Iris had warned him about. "It's... hard to put into words..." He said, lowering his eyes to his feet.

"Nah," Sean said, smiling widely ay him. "You love the guy. It's not exactly hard to see." Taylor looked up suddenly, his eyes wide as he choked on a cough, his cheeks burning a deep red instead of pink. "I admit, it was probably a little mean to even ask really, but... Like I said, had to give it a shot."

Taylor felt his sense of awkwardness continue to grow, as he became more flustered. "You're right... I  _do."_  He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck as he peeked back to the group, his eyes locking briefly with Jake's, before the pilot glanced away. "He doesn't  _know_  that, of course, but... I feel... I don't know...  _Whole,_  around him." He explained haltingly, trying to ignore the way his gut twisted. He ardently hoped the time loop would reset so he could escape the conversation as quickly as possible. "This is fast becoming my worst nightmare; please jump in the fast waters now..." He pleaded, wiping his brow as if it might alleviate some of the rising heat in his cheeks.

"Sure thing." Sean said, after a long pause, though he didn't move. "You know, I felt like that once..." The athlete said, his eyes unconsciously drawn towards the group.

"Then you were an idiot to let her go, weren't you?" Taylor snarked, folding his arms over his chest as he hunched his shoulders, still stinging with embarrassment. "You chose to believe strangers over her, personally I wouldn't fogive that, but I know damn well that she would. She adores you." He groused, before slapping a hand over his mouth, his eyes widening in surprise and guilt. "I mean,  _aw hell.._." He sighed, as Sean paled.

"She-"

 _"No,_  she didn't tell me." Taylor said, shaking his head and wishing vehemently that the time loop would reset already, source be damned. "Look, suffice to say that I have the insanely iritating ability to sense bullshit... Both you and Michelle reek of it Sean. Why d'you think I hit you?" He asked, frowning at the athlete as he stared hard at the water, his hands curled into fists. "I mean, you're supposed to be the  _one_  person knows her better than anyone... Two years, you two had; and you never even thought for a second, that she  _didn't_  do it." He said quietly, his brows furrowed as Sean's shoulders tensed.

"They..." The athlete said thickly, his breath escaping him in a huge sigh. "They were her dorm mates, her best friends. They-"

"Hated the fact that she was smart, blonde, gorgeous and dating  _you."_  Taylor finished, talking over Sean as he tried desperately to deny everything. "Sean, you've known more people like that than anyone else,  _why_  would you believe them over Michelle, really?" He asked curiously.

"Because the  _only_  person anyone can count on is themselves! Because I have issues with trusting people! Because she-" the athlete snapped, biting his tongue in frustration, before finally sighing and looking to Taylor with a wry and dejected grin. "Because, she deserves better." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Taylor frowned, staring at Sean om disbelief. He shook his head, running a hand through his hair as he huffed an unamused laugh. "You're an idiot." He said at last, gesturing towards the river.  _"Go,_  get wet. Maybe it'll knock some sense into you." He sighed, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

"Looks deep," Sean said thickly, appearing grateful for the distraction. "But, I should be able to get down there." He said with a nod, taking a step back before launching forward, diving in with hardly a splash. He was under for what felt like five minutes, and Taylor was just beginning to feel the gnaw of panic, when the athlete burst through the surface of the river with a gasp. He swam over, clambering out with Taylors help, wearing a huge and satisfied grin. "Check it out." He said, depositing something heavy and smooth into Taylors hands. "I found something at the bottom!"

Taylor examined the crystal orb, almost dropping it from shock when he recognised it.  _"Whoa!"_  He gasped, glancing over to his pilot briefly. "It's another one of those glowing orbs, like we found in the abandoned mining tunnels!" He explained, his awe fading slightly, as he recalled with a pang that Diego had been with them. "Touching this one isn't doing anything..." He said, notably subdued, compared to moments before. "But, it still feels like there's some kind of energy running through it."

He carried the orb in his hands, as Sean pulled his shirt back on, making their way back to the group in an awkward silence.  _Don't think about the weirdness with Sean, he'll forget it shortly anyway._  He thought, shaking his head as he tried to focus.  _Hm... This has to be what's causing the time loop. I need to destroy it... but how?_  He wondered. He smashed it against a rock experimentally, but it achieved nothing other than garnering the groups attention.

"What are you  _doing?!"_  Michelle demanded, her eyes wide as she watched Taylor scowl at the orb.

"Trying to  _break_  it?" He griped, rolling his eyes.  _"Obviously?"_  He snorted under his breath, as he tried to smash it between two rocks instead, to similar dissatisfaction.

"We see that!" Quinn cried, her own eyes widening as his frustration obviously grew. "But why?" She asked, worrying her lip as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"Because -" he snapped, before a hand settled on his shoulder. His expression softened, as he looked up to see Jake watching him with obvious amusement, though his unspoken warning was clear. Iris said it could really mess up the time continuum if we tell them... He thought, huffing in frustration. "Because I have anger issues?" He snarked sarcastically, as Jake sat behind him, wrapping his arms around Taylors chest as he chuckled quietly.

"Truth." Zahra said seriously. "I feel you." She said, offering her fist for him to bump. Jake sniggered behind him, as Taylor seethed, bumping the girls fist reluctantly.

"Well, could you please  _not_  destroy something that could be important?" Aleister demanded with a growl, as the group began to walk away. Taylor growled after them, frustration nipping at his temper, as he sensed the end of the time loop fast approaching.

"Don't worry, Boy Scout..." Jake murmured, kissing his jaw lightly. "One step closer. Besides, least we can go to the lake again." He whispered huskily, his breath caressing Taylors throat and making him shiver.

"You're  _insatiable,_  you know that, right?" Taylor snorted, turning to look at the pilot. Jake merely grinned in reply, leaning forward to capture his lips in a slow kiss.

"Only when it comes to the really good stuff..." The pilot murmured when he finally released him, and Taylor grinned as he gave a quiet laugh.

"That was corny as hell." He said, shaking his head at his pilot, as Jake wrapped his arms around him tighter.

"I was talkin' about whiskey..." Jake said, though his cocky smirk belied his words, as he nuzzled Taylors throat. "Will it be sudden..?" He asked quietly, and Taylor felt his heart sink at the note of uncertainty. "I uh, I ain't gonna remember any of this, am I?"

Taylor swallowed thickly, his eyes stinging as he bit his lip. He turned to look over his shoulder again, painting a wide smile on his face as he nodded. "I'm almost positive you will..." He said, putting as much optimism into his voice as he could muster.

Jake rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he leaned towards Taylor again. "You're a  _really_  bad liar..." He whispered, his lips approaching Taylors; when in a disorienting flash, Taylor found himself back at the riverbank.

"This river looks pretty deep..." Quinn said hesitantly, but Taylor drowned out the rest of her words with a ringing in his ears, his chest hollow as he missed the arms which had been around him. He looked beside him, with dejected expectation, to where Jake was gently removing his fingers from where they tightly clutched at his jacket.

"Taylor..?" He asked, his eyes concerned as he looked him over. "You okay..?" He queried, squeezing his hand in gentle reassurance, unaware of how the gesture caused a small piece of Taylors heart to chip away painfully. He swallowed heavily, unable to contain a deep hiss of air escaping him.  _That must have been the time loop resetting_... He thought, his heart heavy as he shook his head, unable to give voice to his words.  _"Whoa,_  hey..." Jake said, drawing him close as the others fussed over how to cross the river. "What is it..? Is it-"

"I'm sorry. I'm okay, really. Just... got tired for a minute there." Taylor said in a rush, burying his face in the pilots shoulder for a moment and breathing deeply to inhale the faintly whiskey-ish scent of his jacket.  _I can't fall apart now. I need to think about what I learned and make progress_. He thought, glancing down as he raised his hand behind Jake's back, looking at the crystal orb Sean had found at the bottom of the river.  _The orb stayed with me... It didn't go back to the river when the loop reset. So, it must exist outside of time_... He closed his fingers around the orb tightly, barely holding a sob in his chest as an itch tickled at the back of his mind.  _Like **me...**_  He thought brokenly, closing his eyes as he urged the alternate memory away. Whatever knowledge lay within the memory, already terrified him as merely a feeling, and he had no desire to delve any deeper within it.

"Over here, guys!" Estela called, as she clambered onto a huge, fallen tree trunk. "There's a fallen tree going all the way across. We can use it as a bridge." She said, crouching to offer her hand to Quinn, as the others lined up single file to cross the moss covered log.

"Hey," Jake said, drawing away so he could look Taylor over worriedly. "What is it, Boy Scout?" He asked seriously, and for all of a second, Taylor considered telling him everything _. But, just because he was okay when Iris explained, doesn't mean I wanna run the risk that the universe might explode or implode or whatever if I do it and get it wrong somehow_... He thought hastily, shaking his head as hebpainted a small smile on his lips.

"Just tired." He said honestly, a deep weariness logged in his bones from the loss of their shared memories; now confined solely to himself. He grabbed the pilots hand and led them over to the make shift bridge, ending up behind Michelle as he released Jake's hand to climb up the mossy log. The blonde easily danced across to the far side, only to stop abruptly before hopping down.

 _"Agh!"_  She cried, one hand raising to her eye as she crouched down and gazed around desperately. "Dammit, I just lost a contact lens!" She gasped, her free hand brushing lightly over the moss in vain hope of finding the missing contact.

"Hey, Michelle..." Taylor called, dropping down beside her. "Can I help you look?" He asked, resting a hand on her shoulder gently. The blonde sized him up for a moment, before rolling ber eyes, a small smile twitching at the corner of her lips.

"Ugh,  _fine..."_  She sighed dramatically, though she was giggling by the time she'd finished. "So long as you agree I  _never_  asked for help..." She said, waggling a finger at him playfully.

"Who asked for help? Not you,  _obviously..._  See,  _me?_  I'm just here for  _entirely_  selfish reasons." Taylor said, gasping in mock outrage. He sniggered as Michelle nudged him with her shoulder, dropping to his hands and knees beside the blonde, and the two of them combed through the high grass together.

"This is  _impossible..."_  Michelle sighed at last, sitting back on her heels dejectedly.

"You mean impassible, nothings impossible." Taylor snorted, as Michelle laughed beside him, swatting his arm as he continued to search.

"Alice in Wonderland was my favorite as a little girl..." She said fondly, looking around the jungle thoughtfully. "Never thought I would actually be  _living_  something even weirder than that crazy ass story though..." She sighed, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"I don't think anyone ever expects to live anything weirder than,  _wait!_  Hold on-" He said suddenly, cutting off his own reply as his fingers closed around the small clear lens carefully. "I found it! Here!" He said, beaming a huge smile at the blonde.

"Taylor, you don't even understand how much you just saved my life..." Michelle gushed, as she took the lens from him and cradled it carefully in her hand.

 _"Whoa..."_  Taylor said, refocusing his attention on the area he'd found the lens. "There's something else here too..." He said, reaching his hand through the grass again, before closing his fingers around something small and bright red. He heled it up before his eyes, frowning thoughtfully.

"What the  _hell_  is that?" Michelle demanded, drawing Jake's attention as he easily ambled across the fallen log-bridge. He knelt beside Taylor, reaching forward to pluck the object fingers carefully.

"Well, lookie here." He said, examining it with a faint grimace. "That's a twelve gauge, armour piercing, shell casing..." He explained easily, glancing up at Taylor briefly before waving the casing under his nose. "It's for the USAS-twelve automatic shotgun." He said thoughtfully, a half grin cocking his lip as he shook his head. "Lemme tell you, that's some heavy duty fire power.  _Hell,_  my old black ops squad used those." He said, briefly meeting Taylors eyes, before looking away again hastily.

"So, you're saying however fired it meant business." Taylor guessed, frowning as a familiar tickle began to itch at the back of his mind. However, when he tried to let the memory wash over him, it retreated. He sighed and rolled his eyes, deciding it was probably less than he deserved for his harsh rejection of the almost certainly important memory he'd refused.  _Karma sure believes in me_... He smiled softly, recalling Jake's words from the mines.

"That's an understatement." Jake scoffed, breaking him out of his internal dilemma's, as he dropped the shell gently back into Taylors hands and pushed to his feet. With everyone safely across once more, Taylor turned to find Rourke once more whistling cheerfully to himself. He grinned wolfishly, deciding that the man owed him more than just one answered question after all.

"Alright, Wanker." He said, sidling up to the man with a secretive grin. You promised me some answers." He demanded, not in the least bit bothered when Rourke's ignored him until he had finished whistling his tune.

"Do you know what business I'm in?" Rourke asked, tugging at his jacket lapels as he grinned superiorly at Taylor. "My business is-"

"Information,  _yeah._  I got it." Taylor said quickly, rolling his eyes. "You tell me one thing, I tell you one thing.  _Deal."_  He said, smirking in vindictive glee at the mans shocked expression.

"Straight to the point, I see." Rourke said, attempting to appear unfazed, though his wide eyes and slack jaw spoke highly of his true state of surprise. "Then tell me-"

"You wanna know my name?" Taylor asked, sniggering at the suited mans obvious loss for words. "It's Taylor.  _My_  turn." He said lightly, glancing over at his friends. "I want to ask; why did you being us all here?"

"I presumed this would be your question." Rourke said smugly, already recovered from his shock at Taylors abrupt manner. "During the most recent expansion of The Celestial's facilities, a worker discovered a photograph buried in the sands." Rourke explained, shaking his head as he recalled the tale, though Taylor was sceptical to believe anything which came from the suited mans lying tongue. "It was dated to be five hundred years old, despite the art of the photography only having existed for two hundred." He said, stopping on the path to look over at him curiously. "Photographed therein were eleven young people. All of you; save for Aleister. I knew you must somehow be critical to solving the island's mysteries."

Taylor watched Rourke with growing contempt, at the obvious way with which the mans eyes lit with excitement. "You unimaginably smug  _bastard..."_  He said, shaking his head as the mans expression dropped suddenly from his face. "Why not just  _tell_  them that?" He demanded, scowling a the well dressed man furiously.

 _"Frankly,_  I intended to." Rourke said, brushing his suit in blatant discomfort, the conversation clearly not going how he'd planned it to. "I intended to enlist your help to save the world. Clearly, the world had better plans."

Taylor narrowed his eyes, sensing the mans deceit, but unable to grasp the memory he needed to understand the depth of it. "Why lie to them then? Why not  _ask_  them to come and save the world, rather than strand them here?" He frowned suddenly, his gaze hardening. "Did  _you_  burn Jake's plane..? And blow up the marina?" He demanded quietly, glancing toward Jake to make sure he couldn't overhear.

" _Certainly not!"_  Rourke spluttered, though Taylor noticed there was a distinct lack of shock from his questions. "I had merely hoped to engage you all here, not strand you. And as for Mr. McKenzie's plane, I assure you I was already within my tachyon preservation tube. The marina well, I'm just as shocked as you are by it's destruction! My favorite yacht was moored there..."

"Hmm," Taylor hummed, utterly unconvinced of the mans innocence. "I was in it when it sank." He said, relishing the mans flinch at his comment. He shook his head at the man, as Rourke looked down at the crystal orb he was carrying.

"I see you've found one of La Huerta's mysterious crystals. Beautiful, are they not?" Rourke said, clearly relieved to have a distraction from the conversation which had gone so wrongly for him. "They can get quite heavy. Perhaps you should have someone carry it for you." The man suggested, before shoo-ing him away again. "That's all you're getting out of me-"

"For now." Taylor muttered darkly, turning away from the man in disgust. He swallowed against the bitter taste of bile in his throat, his eyes trailing over his friends as they laughed ahead of him. Suddenly, his breath caught, upon seeing Jake once more standing high atop a boulder, peering northeast. The pilot turned, grinning at him, as he hopped down. "There's a nice clearing out that way, to the right." He said pointedly, grinning broadly as he barely concealed a wink towards Taylor. "The river ends in this beautiful lake if you follow it a bit..." He said innocently, and Taylor felt his heart ache with so many emotions, he couldn't stop his tears from overwhelming him. "Hey," Jake said, walking over with a frown. "Gotta be honest, this is  _not_  the reaction I was expectin' or hopin' for..."

"Hm." Estela hummed thoughtfully, "It might be useful to get our bearings." She admitted, leaning against a tree and folding her arms over her chest, watching Taylor and Jake with a concerned look in her eyes. "And, I think maybe Taylor needs a break..." She added, her cheeks flushing pink as she admitted to her worrying over him.

"I-..." Taylor began, feeling his cheeks flush with heat as everyone turned towards him. He tried to say something further, but his words were lost to him, blocked by his constricting throat as yet more hot tears traced over his cheeks.

"You're going." Jake said grimly, his eyes concerned as he snagged Taylors hand and began to lead him alongside the river. Taylor glanced back, his heart pounding not with excitement but grief, as it ached for his friends and the terrible way which Rourke had affected their lives.

"Well, we might as well get comfortable." Estela said quietly, watching them go as she bit her lip. Taylor faced forward again, hiding his hollow gaze as he and Jake followed the river. He sighed, watching the water as it slowly grew from a small to a wide river. He felt Jake's hand squeeze his own, the pilot dropping back to walk beside him, as they finally reached the clearing. A gorgeous, shimmering lake sparkled before him, and instead of peace; he felt a sense of loneliness settle within him.

"Spill, Boy Scout." Jake demanded, his hands caressing Taylors tense shoulders gently, as he drew him into his arms. "What's got you all discombobulated..?" Taylor looked up at the pilot, shocked out of his overwhelming rush of emotions at such a strangely phrased question. "Heh, figured that'd get ya attention." Jake chuckled, pressing a kiss to his temple, before drawing away to slip a pebble across the lakes placid surface. Taylor stepped up beside him, the sun blistering above them.

"Rourke..." Taylor said quietly, feeling the pilots hand slid into his own again, ready to listen if he was ready to continue. "He said he found a photo of us all... From the future. It's why he brought you-" he hesitated, swallowing thickly against the recurring surge of the bile. "Why he brought us all here..." He scowled, squeezing the pilots hand tightly as he finally allowed his emotions to vent from his heart. "He tracked you all down, like animals being hunted... Brought you all here, and then stranded you... I  _hate_  him, Jake. I hate him for what he's  _done_  to you; for what he's  _going_  to do..."

"You mean, what you saw back at his sex dungeon slash man cave?" Jake asked quietly, allowing Taylor the time he needed to jettison the poisonous feelings Rourke had instilled in him.

 _"That_  will never happen." Taylor swore adamantly, and Jake squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"Damn right it ain't." The pilot said, jolting Taylor from his thoughts, as he looked up at him in surprise. Jake chuckled, glancing up at the sun as he puffed out a deep sigh. "Damn hot out... Could use a minute to cool off." He said, looking down with the obvious message; we'll stay here as long as you need to.

Taylors heart melted at the pilots gesture, and he glanced toward the lake. "I think we should relax and drink some chilled water then." He said softly, leading the pilot to the shore to fill their water bottles. They sat down close to each other, taking a sip of the clear, ice-cold water.

"Know what, Boy Scout?" Jake said, nudging him gently with his shoulder. "I think that's about the  _best_  water I've ever tasted." He said with a wink, and Taylor huffed a laugh despite the heavy weight on his shoulders. He leaned against the pilot for a moment, drawing strength from the other man before forcing himself upright again. He watched as Jake skipped rocks across the lake, making a string of perfectly circular ripples across its mirrored surface. He felt almost mesmerized by the repetitive motions, and he glanced up to see a content if somewhat nostalgic expression on the pilots face.

"You're pretty good at that." He observed quietly, smiling softly as Jake huffed an amused snort.

"Growing up in rural Louisiana, me and my sister had a lot of practice entertaining ourselves..." He admitted, grinning down at him widely. "Life could get a  _little_  boring." He said in a stage whisper.

Taylor bit his lip, not wanting to ask something too intimate of the pilot, but desperate to know more about him. "Your sister..." He said hesitantly, "you don't talk about her much." He pressed gently.

"Nope." Jake replied immediately, and though his tone was light, Taylor still felt guilty for the hidden pain beneath the single word. "But, one day I'll tell  _you_  all about her." The pilot said, turning towards him and smiling genuinely, his hair tousling in the faint breeze.

Taylor stared at him, his eyes drinking in all the details of his cheekbones, the stubble on his jaw and his crystal clear eyes. He said nothing as he pushed Jake gently down onto the grass and straddled him, leaning down after him to kiss him slowly, and deeply. He poured every ounce of affection, of trust and love he felt for his pilot into their kiss, his tongue swiping firmly against Jake's. After a long moment of contently showering the pilot with his affection, he sat up, his hands on Jake's chest as he winked at him.

"What was  _that_  for?" Jake asked, his hands running over the back of Taylors thighs and up over his sides, as he gently rocked his hips up, pressing his blossoming arousal against Taylors ass.  _"Not,_  that I'm complaining."

"Just wanted to make sure life wasn't getting too boring for you." Taylor said with a grin, his melancholy finally clearing as he watched Jake laugh in geuine amusement.

"Around you, I don't even think that's  _possible."_  The pilot sniggered, reaching up with one hand to cup Taylors cheek thoughtfully. "But, just to be sure an' all, you probably oughtta do it again..." He said, with such a serious expression that Taylor burst out laughing. Jake groaned, his hips rising as Taylors laugh vibrated through him.

Taylor grinned down at him, rocking his hips experimentally against the pilot, a rush of power and arousal curling within him at the sound of the pilots hiss of pleasure. "Taylor..." Jake murmured, his clear eyes glazed with lust as he watched Taylor move gently above him, his hands roaming over his body with obvious desire. He bit his lip, as he felt heat well within his stomach, blood pooling in his groin.  _Guess the time loop resets everything in it... Regardless of if they naturally exist outside of time._  He thought, as his own hands slowly wandered to his shirt, popping a button with a slow smirk.

Instantly Jake's eyes were locked onto the sight, his fingers gently squeezing his hips in encouragement, as he swallowed thickly. Taylor snorted, but rocked his hips gently, as he slowly popped another button; followed almost at a torturously slow pace by the final button. He slowly slid the rolled up sleeves down his arms, and folded the shirt up into a thick stretch of material, before leaning down slowly.

 _"Hmm..."_  Jake hummed appreciatively, as he gently brushed their lips together, rocking his hips slowly against the pilot, as he laid the folded shirt over his eyes. "Huh? Wha-"

 _"Shhh..."_  Taylor whispered, before claiming the pilots lips in a deep and passionate kiss, his tongue twisting around Jake's eagerly, as his body arched against the pilot. His hands worked to slide the jacket from Jake's arms, eager to feel himself pressed firmly, skin to skin against his pilot.

Jake surged upward suddenly, drawing his shirt off over his head, before his hands cupped Taylors jaw; drawing him back into a deep kiss as he sank back to the ground, seemingly more content now they were both free of their upper clothing. Taylor tore his lips free, hesitating to brush them against Jake's breathlessly, before drawing back to instead litter his chest with kisses.  _"Taylor..."_  Jake groaned, as he nipped at the pilots nipple, immediately soothing the area with his tongue, as he peeked up through his lashes to find the pilot watching him with eyes which blazed with desire.

He felt the blush in his cheeks, as he shuffled backwards, pressing kisses in a trail down over Jake's abs, until he reached the mans waistband. He palmed at the erection he could feel beneath the barrier, his tongue flicking into the pilots navel briefly, before he sat back and worked the button through it's hole with trembling fingers. "You need some help with that, Boy Scout?" Jake asked thickly, as he sat up on his elbows, watching intently as Taylor shook his head; and slowly drew down his fly.

"I think I got it..." Taylor murmured, slipping his fingers beneath the pilots underwear with a wicked grin. " _In hand_..." He said, squeezing the hard flesh gently, relishing Jake's choked hiss of pleasure as he dropped back to the ground. He sniggered, as he rolled back the pilots remaining clothes, kissing his way down his thigh as he removed them; and kissing his way back up the other once they were gone. He gently stroked Jake's hard cock, leaning forward to press a kiss against the shaft, before nuzzling downward and sucking softly at his balls.

 _"Nnhn..."_  Jake moaned, his hands caressing Taylors shoulders, neck and head, as his tongue flicked over the sensitive flesh at the base of his cock. Taylor felt a rush of desire blaze through his cock, but he ignored it, focusing on his task of worshipping his pilots hard cock instead. He licked a trail from Jake's balls, along his hard shaft, to the weeping head; where he dipped into the slit to collect the leaking pre-cum. He groaned, as he swallowed, licking his lips as he looked up at Jake briefly.  _"Aw, fuck-"_  The pilot swore, as Taylor wrapped his lips around his hard cock, and sank his mouth around it.

Taylor hummed, causing Jake to curse louder, as he propped himself on one elbow to better watch his progress. Taylor relished the rush of power from having Jake so utterly focused on him, his hand resting gently in his hair, as he sucked his cock deeper into his mouth. He swallowed, glancing up as Jake's fingers curled against his scalp, eliciting a groan from him which vibrated through his cock.  _"Holy_  shit-" Jake choked, falling back to the ground as his hip rose of their own accord, desperately seeking more of the wet warmth Taylor's mouth promised.

Taylor hummed, bobbing his head quickly as he sucked hard, drawing a loud groan from Jake which cut off abruptly, when he quickly repeated the motion. He swallowed around the pilots cock, and peeking up as Jake began shifting beneath him. He released the pilot with a final light suck, pushing to his knees as Jake collided with him, his hands clasping his ass tightly as he kissed him urgently. He returned the kiss hungrily, as Jake's fingers slid to his front and fumbled hurriedly to release his button and fly, finally succeeding on the fifth attempt. Taylor sucked in a deep gasp, groaning as Jake tore his lips free and surged forward to nip at his throat, the pilots hands clawing at his shorts in the haste to remove them. As soon as they were gone, Taylor pressed the pilot back to the ground, his hand wrapping around both his own and Jake's cock; and stroking them swiftly together as he gasped for breath.

"Taylor..." Jake groaned, his hips rising against Taylor as his hands settled onto his hips, pulling him closer against him. Taylor released his hand, stretching over the pilot to press a desperate kiss to his lips, as he once more straddled the pilots hips. He panted heavily, as he arched his back, drawing free from their kiss as he sat straight and reached begins him.  _"Taylor, wai- Mhhmm!"_  Jake groaned, his hands clamping tightly on Taylors hips as Taylor lowered himself onto Jake's cock, biting his lip at the burn of his entry, but relishing the full feeling at such a different angle.

"Jake..." He murmured, his body tensing and relaxing in waves as he adjusted to the new position. He bit his lips, his hands running over Jake's abs, as he watched the pilot stare up at him with awe.  _"Mmm..!"_  He gasped, as he fully sheathed Jake's cock within his ass, clenching experimentally and chuckling breathlessly when Jake choked at the sensation. He leaned down, and pressed soft kisses to the pilots torso, before a hand captured his chin. He raised his eyes to Jake's, and as one they moves together, their lips colliding in a hungry kiss. He groaned, raising his hips as his tongue fought against Jake's, eagerly swiping at his lips and teeth before retreating and allowing Jake's tongue to invade his own mouth.

He gasped, his body shivering in pleasure, as he struck the spot within his ass which made him race toward orgasm. With a loud moan, he pushed himself upright, his knees tight against Jake's side as the pilots hands squeezed his asa almost desperately. He raised his hips and dropped them sharply, striking the spot harder and crying out in bliss, as Jake groaned beneath him; watching every flutter of expression that crossed his face. His eyes lowered to Taylors ignored cock, his hand raising to stroke him slowly, earning a louder moan as Taylor continued to rise and fall fluidly on his cock, riding him with such a blissful expression that the pilot found himself rushing toward his own orgasm earlier than he had anticipated.  _"Fuck-"_  He growled, his fingers clutching desperately at Taylors ass, as he stroked his cock with erratic motions. He closed his eyes, as his cock flooded Taylors ass with his seed, a thick groan escaping him as Taylor gasped and covered the hand on his cock with his own.

" _Don't stop_..." He pleaded breathlessly, his heart racing as he continued to ride Jake, his gut swirling on the peak of orgasm. His body tensed suddenly, as Jake sat up suddenly, the hand beneath his own stroking him firmly; as Jake's lips pressed hungrily against his own, his free hand cupping the back of Taylors head as he thrust his tongue into his mouth. Taylor cried out in bliss, his cock emptying over their hands, as Jake eagerly swallowed all the sounds he made.

He trembled, as Jake wrapped his arms around him, drawing him to lay over him as he rode out the height of his orgasm. He returned Jake's slow, but hungry kiss, feeling his heart race directly over Jake's. When the pilot finally released him, their lips were puffy and bruised, but tingling pleasantly; much like his ass. He grinned, shifting to lay beside the pilot, as they caught their breath and laced their fingers together on their closest hands.  _"Hmm..."_  He sighed contently, turning his head toward the pilot, his free hand resting on his stomach.

 _"Hmm."_  Jake hummed in agreement, his own free hand rising to stroke Taylors cheek as he shook his head.  _"Definitely,_  not gonna get boring." He said thickly, and Taylor grinned sleepily in response, his body aching deliciously. "Damn... Couldn't you just stay here forever..?" The pilot sighed, and Taylor giggled as he stretched, arching his back similarly to a cat as he rolled onto his side and buried his face into the pilots shoulder. "Heh, nice try Boy Scout... But that wasn't an invitation. We oughtta be gettin' back." The pilot pushed himself to his feet, despite Taylors protests, throwing him a wink as he got dressed.

Taylor watched as Jake disappeared beneath his clothing, sighing when he finally had no excuse but to find his own clothes and get dressed. He quickly washed himself, shivering at the cool water against his heated and sensitive skin. He grinned, as Jake tossed his shirt at his head, sniggering as he slid it on his arms and re-buttoned it. "Back to the unit?" He asked, as he buttoned his shorts and stepped onto his trainers.

"Hmm, just  _one_  more thing first." Jake said thoughtfully, stepping up to Taylor and hooking his fingers under his chin. Cerulean met dark blue eyes, and the pilots intent was clear from his intense gaze. Taylor tilted his chin up, as Jake brushed his fingers across his cheek, before beaming and turning away. "Yup, got that bug. C'mon, Boy Scout." He said, as Taylor choked in surprise. He huffed in indignant rage, moving to stomp past the pilot with a scowl, when Jake caught him and spun him around; quickly capturing his lips in a deep and slow kiss.

"No matter how many times," Taylor hummed softly, chuckling as the pilot finally released him. "You always manage to surprise me..." He said, shaking his head in fond affection. "C'mon, Top Gun." He laughed, tugging the pilots hand and leading him back along the river, catching up with the group once more at the ancient and eroded stone pillar. He shared a brief glance and a soft grin with Jake, before wandering over to join Craig. The jock wiped sweat from his brow, scowling at the sunlight streaming through the thick canopy.

"Dude, this is garbage." He complained loudly, growling as he shook his head. "It's  _so_  hot. Can't we take a break?" He pleaded.

"You're tired because you're wasting energy complaining." Rourke said disinterestedly.

"I'm gonna waste energy beating your ass, geezer." Craig growled, though he offered Taylor a fist bump when he cheered the idea enthusiastically.

"Besides which we've hardly been back on the trail since waiting for these two slackers." Rourke added, scowling at Taylor, who merely smiled and winked at his pilot.

"Trust me, slacking was the  _last_  thing I was doing." He said, grinning widely as Rourke stumbled and choked.

"I can vouch for that," Jake agreed, sniggering as he peered over at Taylor appreciatively. "Definitely,  _no_  slacking..." He smirked, winking at him before turning his attention back to the path.

"Come on," Craig pleaded, "there's some awesome shade over there from that stone pillar thingy." He said, wiping his brow again.

"Come on, Craig." Sean called, smiling at his friend encouragingly. "Keep up the pace, man." He said, facing forward and thus missing the sad and baleful glare of his friend.

"Have I ever told you I hate you, bro?" He complained quietly, stomping after the athlete reluctantly.

"No, you don't," Taylor laughed, moving to pat the jock on the shoulder before recalling his and Zahra's discussion about his being sticky, and hastily reconsidering. He glanced over at Jake, smiling as their eyes met, before moving to follow Craig; only to find himself back at the riverbank.  _"Goddamn!"_  He cursed, scowling as Quinn once more ventured to peek at the river.

"Hey, what the  _hell_  was that?" Jake asked, removing his hand from his jacket to squeeze it gently in reassurance. Taylor pouted up at the pilot, miserable at the thought that he wouldn't remember their time at the lake once more.

"Nothing..." He groused, shaking his head and forcing his melancholy away.  _Guess I better make this time really unforgettable._.. He thought, smiling to himself as he leaned forward and presses a quick kiss to the pilots cheek, before leading him over to the huge, fallen trunk which Estela was clambering up.

"Okay,  _that_  little smile, right  _there?_  That says you're up to something. I do  _not_  trust it." Jake said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously despite his intrigued grin, as Taylor sniggered and winked in response. He released Jake's hand with a squeeze and joined the group, as they lined up single file to cross the river over the moss covered log. He found himself behind Aleister, following him and Grace across. He smiled, as Aleister took Grace's hand, steadying her and helping her across.

"Steady now." He said encouragingly, "look straight ahead, rather than down. It improves your balance and sense of horizon." The pale boy said, gently guiding the dark skinned girl over the slippery log.

"I... I think it's working!" Grace cried excitedly, her eyes wide as she followed Aleister's advice, her hand curled tentatively around his own.

Taylor wobbled, barely able to keep his balance on the wet mossy wood.  _"Whoooa!"_  He cried, his arms flailing for balance.

"When you fall in the river like a buffoon, Taylor," Aleister said calmly, watching him struggle with a small curve to his lips, as he helped Grace step down from the log before him. "I beg of you, please do  _not_  allow the water to splash me."

"How on earth are you balancing so well?!" Taylor demanded, scowling as he struggled to make his way across.  _What the hell is this shit? I didn't have anywhere near this much trouble last time..._

"Simple." Aleister intoned, watching him struggle with obvious amusement. "I alone brought very few possessions on this trip. I've no interest on materialism." He said, patting his bag softly. "My bag is nearly empty. Thus, I am unencumbered; while  _you_  drag yourself down with silly trinkets." He sneered, gesturing to Taylors bag, where Michelle's amber idol lay hidden.

Taylor ignored the barb entirely, grinning broadly at the pale boy in a manner which made him narrow his eyes suspiciously. "In that case, think you could carry this for me?" He asked, showing Aleister the blue crystal orb in his hand.

"Another one of  _those_  damn things!" Aleister cried, slipping slightly from the shock, though he quickly regained his balance. He scowled at Taylor, folding his arms over his chest imperiously. "Wait a moment, what makes you think I'd carry something for  _you?"_  He demanded, as if he'd only just processed Taylors request.

 _"Because_  I'll put in a good word for you with Grace?" Taylor offered smugly, his grin making his cheeks hurt as he watched Aleister debate with himself for a long moment.

"...Give it here." The pale boy demanded, holding out his hand. Taylor snickered, as he dropped the orb into Aleister's waiting palm, immediately feeling better about crossing the log; as Aleister put the orb into his bag.

With everyone across the river, Taylor and his group continued. He noticed Rourke whistling cheerfully to himself once more, but after a moments consideration, he decided to keep his distance. Although he wanted to be able to give his friends answers, the mans lies came so easily; it was impossible to tell what was really true and what was his own personal brand of 'truth'. He walked alongside the others, putting as much distance between Rourke and himself as he could. He caught Rourke looking over at him in thoughtful confusion briefly, but the man made no move to approach him, though his shoulders slumped noticeably.

His breath caught as he looked up, seeing Jake standing high atop a boulder and peering northeast once more.  _Will that sight ever not be amazing_..? Taylor wondered, biting his lip as the pilot turned, grinning at him as he hopped down, and strolled over with a mockingly casual stride. "There's a nice clearing out that way, to the right." He said pointedly, grinning broadly as he barely concealed a wink towards Taylor. "The river ends in this beautiful lake if you follow it a bit..." He said innocently, and Taylor couldn't help but smile, his heart melting with affection.

"Hm." Estela hummed thoughtfully, might be useful to get our bearings." She admitted, leaning against a tree and folding her arms over her chest, watching Taylor and Jake with a knowing look in her eyes.

"I could go..." Taylor suggested, his eyes locked onto Jake intently. "I mean,  _boy,_  could I have a quick  _scout_  around." He said, laughing when everyone groaned at his bad pun.

"You... want some company?" Jake asked, grinning broadly as his eyes smouldered. Taylor sniggered, offering his hand to the pilot.

"I guess every Boy Scout needs a leader to show 'em the ropes, Top Gun..." He said, throwing the pilot a cheeky wink as he tugged him towards the river. He heard Jake chuckle in amusement, and glanced over to find him happily trailing his eyes over his ass.

"Well, we might as well get comfortable." Estela said, shaking her head as she fought the telltale twitch of her lips. Taylor faced forward again, hiding his grin as he and Jake followed the river. He sighed, watching the water as it slowly grew from a small to a wide river. He felt Jake's hand squeeze his own, as they reached the clearing. The gorgeous, shimmering lake sparkled before him, and he took a deep breath as he felt a deep sense of affection for his pilot.

"Damn..." He sighed, looking over at the pilot with a cheeky grin. "Couldn't you just stay here forever?" He asked, laughing when the pilot turned to him with wide eyes.

 _"Damn,_  Boy Scout," Jake muttered slowly, running a hand through his hair distractedly. "Ya took the words right outta my mouth..." He said, running his eyes over him in awe, as he shook his head and backed up to the shore with a grin.

Taylor followed close behind him, leaning close to the pilots ear as he skipped a pebble across the placid surface. " _Must have been while you were kissin' me.._." He whispered, laughing when Jake immediately snorted.

"You're something' else..." Jake huffed, his amusement glaring as he watched Taylor scoop up some snow gently. Taylor hummed, looking over with an affectionate smile. Before Jake could react, he lobbed the snow and pegged the shoulder with it. "A sneak attack!  _Aw, you little_ -" Jake gasped, choking off as Taylor threw another snowball at him.

"Bet you can't catch me, Top Gun!" Taylor sniggered, his eyes glittering as Jake scooped up his own snow, his eyes narrowed in determination. In a flash of white, he and Jake began hurling snowballs at each other, diving and rolling out of the way of each others shots. Taylor laughed, panting for breath as he pelted Jake with snowballs, dodging the pilots own with undignified snorts and giggles. Finally, he hit Jake square in the face with a snowball. The pilot grinned and let himself fall into the snowbank.

"You got me." Jake huffed, shaking his head as Taylor approached with a smug grin. "I give up!" He sighed, as Taylor dove into the snowbank after him, giggling as he rolled onto his side beside the pilot.

"You sure surrender easy, don't you?" Taylor chuckled, grinning broadly at the pilot as he trailed his fingers over the mans dog tags.

 _"Only to you..."_  Jake said warmly, glancing over with a wide grin. Taylor felt his heart melt at the words, and at the genuine affection behind them. He leaned towards the pilot, meeting Jake's lips softly at first, before shifting himself closer; delving into a deeper kiss as the pilot drew him against him. He felt his blood race through his veins, and he was certain the heat of their kiss seemed to be melting all the snow around them.

"I accept nothing, but  _unconditional_  surrender." He murmured against the pilots lips, as they parted to catch their breath. His eyes locked with Jake's, as he huffed a quiet laugh.

"Well," the pilot said thoughtfully, "I don't want to make this  _too_  easy for you..." He murmured, before quickly rolling himself over Taylor, who gasped and giggled as the pilot attacked his throat with heated kisses.

 _"Jake..!"_  Taylor cried breathlessly, arching against the pilot as Jake's hands slid beneath his shirt and traced a small batch of snow across his nipples.

"What was that about ' _unconditional surrender_ ', Boy Scout?" Jake murmured with a smirk, as he raised himself from Taylors throat long enough to claim his lips in a deep kiss. Taylor gasped, the pilots tongue invading his mouth eagerly, as cold fingers began to work at his clothing. Within minutes, he found himself divested of everything, as Jake drew back and hummed in approval. The pilot wrapped his cold fingers around Taylors burgeoning erection, as it rapidly flooded with blood.

"How is this fair, you still have practically everything on..." Taylor pouted, eyeing Jake's clothes with evident disapproval. His eyelids fluttered however, his body arching against Jake's, as the pilot circled his entrance with a cold finger. Jake chuckled, watching Taylors reactions intently, as he aroused his body with teasing touches.

"Patience, Boy Scout..." The pilot chuckled, his head dipping to trail light nips along Taylors sternum, before kissing his way down his stomach.

 _"Hmm!"_  Taylor groaned, his hand threading into the pilots hair as he curled his legs around the pilots waist. Jake's hands slid down to grip his thighs briefly, before lifting them over his shoulders, as he kissed his way down Taylors heated arousal.  _"Aaahh!"_  He gasped, his eyes widening, arching up as Jake slid further back, his tongue slowly licking over his ass. His eyes snapped up to Taylors face, as a delicious moan escaped his lips.

He hummed thoughtfully, his lips kissing the sensitive flesh as his tongue plunged inside.  _"Jake!"_  Taylor cried, his fingers clutching tightly in the pilots hair, as Jake thrust his tongue deeper into his ass, groaning as Taylor writhed and muttered incoherently beneath him.

Taylor gasped, crying out at the sensation of Jake's tongue relentlessly thrusting into his ass. He felt fire course through his body, his eyes locked onto where his fingers curled desperately into the pilots hair. He ran his free hand through his own hair, his heart slamming in his chest as Jake mercilessly licked him.  _"Nhnng!"_  He cried, rolling himself to the side and tearing himself free of the pilots ministrations, his hand pressing to his hard cock as his body trembled with the onset of orgasm.

 _"Jake..!"_  He moaned lowly, trying to calm his racing heart and cool the fire in his gut as he pressed his face to the nearby snow. He squirmed, certain he was still able to feel the pilots tongue within him. He turned, as he felt Jake his back, pressing tickling kisses along his shoulder as he pressed his bare chest to Taylors back. "And you said  _I_  was the sneaky one..." He murmured, meeting the pilots amused gaze with his own lust hazed eyes.

Jake chuckled, leaning over Taylors shoulder as he pressed a kiss to his lips, stealing the few breaths he'd managed to regain. He groaned, as the pilot pressed himself against his back, his cock hard and hot between his ass cheeks. "Quid pro quo..." Jake murmured against his lips, before trailing over his shoulder, his body rocking against Taylors as he pressed his cock into his ass.

 _"Hmm!"_  Taylor gasped, one hand twisting behind him to pull Jake closer, as the other clawed at the ground. He moaned loudly as Jake scratched rough kisses across his shoulders, back and neck; a constant litany of encouragements, curses and gasps, as he rocked back against the pilots thrusts.

"Damn, you're beautiful..." Jake muttered quietly, one hand curling around Taylors cock as the other settled on his hip, holding him closer as he began to move more urgently. "You know that..?" He murmured, biting Taylors shoulder gently as he groaned.

Taylor bit his lip, his fingers frantically digging into the ground as Jake drove him towards the high crest of orgasm.  _"Mmmm!"_  He cried, his back arching as his cock spilt his release over the pilots trembling hand.

"Aw,  _hell-"_  Jake growled, his jaw latching hungrily onto the sensitive flesh between Taylors shoulder and neck. He thrust deep within Taylor, his fingers curling into his hip as he stilled, groaning loudly as his own orgasm hit; milked from his pulsing cock by Taylors ass clenching around him.

Taylor felt his pilots racing heart against his back, matching his own with its rapid pace. He swallowed thickly, moaning softly as Jake swept his tongue soothingly over the area he'd bitten. "Thought... you didn't... bite..." He managed to huff, as he lantern for breath.

Jake's quiet laughter rumbled through him where they remained tightly pressed together, pressing a lazy, open mouthed kiss to his shoulder. "Hmm... You drove me to it." He hummed, leaning forward to kiss him thoroughly.

Taylor giggled, squirming as Jake slid free of him so he could roll over and deepen their kiss further. "Hmm, not that I want  _this_  to end... ever..." Taylor mumbled, as Jake dipped down and kissed along his collarbone. "But we should probably head back soon..." He said, laughing at Jake's heavy hum of protest.

"Five more minutes..." The pilot whispered, nuzzling at his ear lobe while Taylor giggled and shivered against the pilot, able to feel his huge grin against his throat. They remained entwined for what was considerably longer than five minutes, sharing lazy kisses and laughing as they enjoyed their blissed out feelings and bodies.

"C'mon, Top Gun." Taylor finally said, yelping at the sharp but pleasant ache in his ass, as he sat up quickly to escape the pilots tempting kisses. He scowled as Jake grinned, winking as he watched him step down to the lake and wash himself with the cool water, before grabbing his clothes and quickly redressing. He laughed, when the pilot sighed and finally gave in, dressing himself quickly and strolling over with a lazy grin, his hands in his pockets.

"Okay, Boy Scout, you win." The pilot huffed, saluting cheekily as he stepped up beside him. "Unconditional surrender, right?" He laughed as he nudged Taylors shoulder playfully, and reached down to lace their fingers together.

Taylor looked up at him, watching as the pilot brushed his hair free from his face, a content warmth blooming in his chest, at the realisation that somewhere along the way their relationship had changed. With no teasing quip as they left, he felt something stronger forming between them instead, and he bit his lip to try and contain the sense of elation which filled him as a thought struck him.  _Maybe... there's a chance he might remember, someday_... He thought excitedly, a swell of hope blazing to life deep within in his heart. They slowly made their way back along the river, catching up just as their group reached the ancient, eroded pillar. Taylor peeled up at Jake with a grin, who saluted and winked, as he disentangled their hands gently.

Taylor glanced over to Craig, who was wiping sweat from his brow, and he saw Rourke once more scold him, before glancing his way. He smiled tiredly, ignoring the older man as he wandered over to the jock. "Let's all take a quick break, okay, Craig?" He offered, before anyone could refuse him.

 _"Finally!"_  Craig cheered, although everyone else seemed equally relieved when they finally sat down. Taylor rolled his eyes at their stubbornness, as Aleister slumped against a tree and threw his bag aside. Craig leaned against the shady side of the stone pillar, sighing contentedly to finally be out of the blazing hot sun. "Sweet,  _sweet_  shade... This is heaven right now."

Taylor was about to laugh, when a loud crack resounded through the air around them, as Craig's weight against the pillar shifted the stone blocks and caused the pillar to begin toppling over. "Aleister,  _look out!"_  He cried instead, and the pale boy scrambled out of the way just in time, as with a great crash; the pillar shattered into a mound of rubble.

"You  _nitwit!"_  Aleister roared, his expression furious as he scowled at Craig. "You utter  _simpleton!_  You just crushed my bag!" The pale boy fumed, as he crouched to dig his bag free of the debris.

"My B, dude." Craig said, seeming more dejected about the loss of his back rest Tha the potential damage to the other boys bag.

Aleister shook his head, muttering darkly as he dumped out the contents of his bag, including the crystal orb; which was now cracked in two and coloured a dull grey.  _Oh my god... That's it_... Taylor thought, staring st the pieces with wide eyes.  _I did it... I destroyed the source of the tine loop_!

"My apologies for your belongings, Taylor, but-" Aleister began stiffly, his expression downcast as he offered the broken pieces of the orb to him.

 _"I did it_!" Taylor cheered loudly, throwing his arms in the air as he spun around joyously, grinning so widely it hurt his face. He bounced on the spot, dancing happily as his heart swelled with a rush of affection, hope and joy.

"Uh, what now?" Sean asked, his eyes wide as he watched him celebrate his unknown achievement with wild abandon.

"Don't worry about it," Jake said, strolling over with a raised brow and a cocky grin. "Boy Scout's still ridin' a high obviously." He chuckled fondly, his eyes amused as they raked over Taylor as he dissolved into a fit of giggles.

"Uh, can we keep going now?" Michelle asked, eyeing Taylor worriedly as he struggled to get a grip on his euphoria.

"Yes!" He cheered, taking a deep breath and holding it, before exhaling it as an enormous sigh.  _"Now_  we can." He giggled, pressing a hand to his mouth to hide his huge grin. The group moved away, shaking their heads in confusion as they glanced back at him uncertainly. He snickered, about to follow then, when he glanced down at the rubble from the shattered pillar. His smile fell away slowly, replaced by a frown as he crouched and looked closer at the pieces of the orb which Aleister had dropped after his initial burst of cheering.

 _The way it's cleaved in two_... He thought, his mind beginning to itch almost painfully. _It... somehow, it feels familiar... Where have I seen it before though?_  He wondered, plucking a piece from the ground. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle, and he stood suddenly, spinning around to find Rourke watching him.  _He recognizes it too._.. Taylor thought, as he met the mans eyes, his mouth splitting into a grin. He clenched his jaw, narrowing his eyes at the man, as he stalked off after the group.  _His man cave... He had one in there. It was split just the same. But, how.._? Taylor thought frantically, torn between fury at the man and panic at the implications of the mans ability when it came to time travel.

"Hey, Taylor." Sean called, beaming as he looked back and pointed to the distance ahead of him. "You see that, over there?" He asked, as Taylor caught up and follows the athletes finger. The glint of gold sparkled in the sun, high in the trees. "Come on, lets check it out." The dark skinned boy encouraged, heading over quickly.

With the time loop broken, Taylor was finally able to push forward through the rainforest, although his heart seemed to be growing heavier with every step he took. "There's definitely something up there, in the branches." Sean said, looking up at the tree which glinted with gold beneath the sunlight. Taylor felt himself pale, and quickly looked around to see that Rourke was occupied by an argument with Aleister for the moment, his back to them.

"It's one of the amber idols Rourke wants so bad..." He whispered to Sean, who nodded thoughtfully as he glanced over at the man.

"Want me to climb up there and get it for you?" The athlete murmured quietly, and Taylor nodded quickly, glancing back towards Rourke as Sean cracked his knuckles. "Your wish is my command." He said, flashing a broad grin briefly. Then, with incredible athleticism, he jumped and grabbed the bottom branch, pulling himself up to quickly scale the tree.

"Be careful up there!" Taylor whispered loudly, his heart racing both from the fear that Sean might injure himself, and that Rourke might realise they were collecting the idols themselves.

"Don't worry about me," he heard Sean chuckled quietly, "I'm almost at the top already!  _Whoa!"_  He gasped, and Taylor immediately stepped forward, about to call the athlete when his hurried whisper filtered down to him again. "Taylor, you're not gonna believe this! The tree looks like it's grown around the idol..! It's like, its part of the tree!"

"Trust me, there are weirder things I believe!" Taylor called back frantically, glancing over to see Rourke and Aleister still arguing. "Can you get it out, or not?" He asked, as Sean grunted above him.

"Yeah, if I just pull... real... hard..." The athlete growled fiercely, before finally cheering as quietly as he could. "Got it!" He yanked the jdkm free from the tree's bark, and rapidly climbed down, glancing over to make sure Rourke hadn't noticed their diversion as he offered the idol to Taylor. "Here ya go." He said proudly, as he pressed it into Taylors hands.

Taylor gasped, as just like the last time, he was thrown through space and time the moment his skin connected with the idol. He blinked, and found himself in a college apartment. The LCD clock in the kitchenette microwave read two thirteen in the morning. Sean rubbed at his eyes, exhausted, as he slouched over a pile of economics homework after a long day of practice, classes and his work-study job. "Equilibrium price and quantity if demand is..." He sighed, running a hand through his hair, as his phone buzzed from a new text message. He glanced at the screen, to see it was from his mother.

 _Your dad asked about you again. He misses you_. Sean grit his teeth, shaking his head and tossing the phone aside as a key unlocked the door. He frowned, as Craig walked in quickly, looking anxious.

"Dude, I am  _so_  screwed." His friend said immediately, flopping onto the sofa beside him in an uncharacteristically small and undignified heap. "Remember how Coach asked us about the rumours that the sports agent guy was giving free stuff to players?" He asked, his eyes hollow as he turned a sheepish gaze towards him.  _"Well..."_  He hedged, wincing as he opened his backpack to show Sean a brand new, high end laptop.

 _"Craig!"_  Sean gasped, his eyes wide as forward, his homework scattering over the floor as he pointed at the laptop accusingly.  _"Dude!_  Why'd you take that?! You know if the NCAA finds out you're taking free stuff, you'll  _lose_  your scholarship! You'll be kicked off the team!" He rambled desperately, his hands scrubbing over his short hair nervously.

"I  _know!"_  Craig wailed, shaking his head forlornly. "I'm an ifiot, okay? I just... I really wanted to play this computer game with a girl in my calc class. My old laptop sucked too hard to handle the graphics, and you know my fam cant afford a decent one..." He sighed, slumping deeper into thebcouch as he hung his head. "I  _know..._  I shouldn't have taken it. But, now I'm screwed. Someone saw me with it, and ratted me out." He said dejectedly, his eyes welling with tears of frustration as he chewed at his bottom lip. "I'm already on thin ice with Coach. Now I'm done for. As soon as he proves I took this laptop-"

"He  _won't."_  Sean said, sitting straight with determination. He reached over and slid the laptop out of Craig's bag, placing it into his own instead. "Because,  _I'm_  the one who took it from the agent. I just let you borrow it." He said, grinning at his friend confidently.

"Dude,  _what?"_  Craig asked, shaking his head as he lowered his eyes to the floor. "I  _can't_  let you take the fall for me. You'll get in so much trouble."

"I can handle it." Sean assured him, his hand squeezing his friends shoulder briefly. "You  _can't._  Coach can't kick me off the team, so... let me do this. I  _need_  you on that field. You're more than my teammate. You're my  _brother."_  He said quietly, his gaze confident as Craig looked up at him uncertainly. "I've got this."

Craig watched him for a long moment, before swallowing thickly and averting his eyes to his large hands. "I owe you man..." He said lowly, peeking back up with a tortured expression. "I owe you  _everything."_

Taylor felt a jolt in his gut, and found himself slingshot forward through time, reality warping around him until he found himself standing on a cliff, eerily similar to the one where they'd almost died on their journey to the observatory.

Sean was waving his arms wildly, his eyes wide as he made a huge spectacle of himself. "Over here! Over here, big guy!" He cried desperately. "Look at  _me!"_  He begged, as T'kal stalked along the tree line.

 ** _"Rrraarggh!"_**  It roared deafeningly, as Sean clampured for its attention, while Michelle cried and screamed at the athlete desperately, restrained by Raj's strong arms.

"Sean! What are you  _doing?!"_  She demanded, her eyes streaming with terrified tears, as Sean distracted the sabertooth from his friends, leading it towards the cliff edge.

"Don't worry about me!  _Run!"_  He yelled, scowling at the group over the sabertooths shoulder, as it prowled ever closer to him. "I can handle it!" He called, just as the sabertooth pounced, pinning him to the dirt right beside the precipice. Seam growled at the beast, using all his strength as he gripped the tiger's fangs tightly, wrestling kt towards the edge.

 _"Sean!"_  Craig cried, moving to help his friend. "Don't do it, man!" He yelled, his eyes wide as he struggled to get close to the flailing tiger enough to free the athlete.

"Sean..!" Michelle cried, pleading as she wept brokenly.  _"Please..!_  No!" She begged, straining to reach him.

Sean glanced at his friends, before refocusing his scowl onto the fierce tiger above him. "...  _I've got this_." He muttered determinedly, as he rolled over the edge of the cliff, taking the tiger with him. They vanished out of sight, and Taylor was flung away from the vision to the echoes of Michelle's broken screams.

"Taylor?" Sean asked, as Taylor blinked and gasped, as he found himself stood before the athlete in the blisteringly hot jungle. "You alright?" Sean asked worriedly, as Taylor gaped up at him.

"Sean..." He gulped, overcome with emotion. He pulled Sean into a sudden hug, and though the athlete hesitated at first, he slowly hugged him back. Over the athlete's shoulder, Taylor glared at the amber idol still clutched in his white knuckle grip.  _I have no idea if that was something that happened... Or something that's supposed to._.. He thought despairingly, swallowing as he steeled himself and squeezed his eyes shut.  _But I swear; I will not let it._

"Not that I couldn't get used to this or anything, but uh, could you let me go now?" Sean asked uncomfortably, as Taylor snapped his eyes open, shocked out of his dazed stupor. "Jake kinda looks like he's gonna hit me again any second... And between you and me, he hits harder than I let on." The athlete murmured, drawing away as Taylor turned to see Jake watching them as he kept Rourke's attention away from them.

Taylor swallowed and hurriedly buried the idol in his bag with Michelle's, nodding at the pilot as he wiped under his eyes quickly. Almost instantly Jake began stalking over, his eyes never leaving Taylor as Sean edged away to give them some privacy. "Taylor-"

"I'm okay, honest." Taylor quickly said, his hands reaching for Jake's and drawing them to his chest. "It was... Just-"

"Yeah, I saw." Jake said stiffly, and Taylor looked up with a frown. He studied the pilot carefully, his lips twitching in amusement as he took a step back to consider the other man.

"Are you...  _jealous?"_  He asked incredulously. He snorted as Jake's cheeks dusted with pink, shaking his head as the absurdity of the idea made him giggle. "Jake, after earlier... I honestly don't know how you could be so ridiculous. I feel like I should be offended, but... It's actually kind of flattering, in a weird and very hilarious way." He said, snorting in amusement as Jake's eyes softened.

 _"Hmm..."_  He hummed thoughtfully, his familiar cocky grin blossoming slowly across his face. "I guess I was pretty damn amazing." He said, chuckling when Taylor laughed and swatted his arm playfully. The pilots arms slowly crept around him, as Taylor let his fingers curl into the collar of his jacket.

"You and that ego..." He sighed, looking up at the pilot fondly. His smile fell slightly, and he turned serious as he captured the other mans clear eyes determinedly. "You have no need to be jealous. Like,  _ever._  There is literally,  _nothing,_  anyone could offer me..." He admitted quietly, biting his lip as he let the pilot process the unspoken words.  _I love you. I'm yours. Always_. Jake seemed to consider for a long moment, swallowing thickly as he slowly leaned down to close the gap between them.

"You two." Rourke called, freezing them both in place. "You're falling behind. Keep up, the Hostiles' stronghold is just over this ridge." He called, and Taylor glanced over to see the older man shaking his head in disapproval at them.

"I get hold of another gun, I'm shooting him in the foot." Jake grumbled, as he released Taylor and trudged along beside him to rejoin the group. Taylor almost laughed, but was distracted by a something carried across the wind.

"Did you guys hear that?" Quinn asked, letting around them all with a hint of a frown. "Is that..?"

"Horns." Michelle replied with a nod, glancing around the group, before they all broke into a sprint. Taylor felt his heart claw it's way up his throat, as he raced up the hill beside Jake. The forest grew thinner around them, sunlight streaming in thicker beams through the gaps in the canopy. Taylor grit his teeth together, as he spotted in the distance, the familiar sight of an impossibly large tree soaring into the sky. He finally broke free of the undergrowth, skidding to a halt as he gained a clearer view of the tree, with it's city like web twined around it.

"Now  _that's_  what I call a treehouse!" Raj panted, as he caught up. Taylor swallowed heavily, as he took in with fresh eyes, the Vaanti village; carved into the side of an absurdly large tree, easily the size of any skyscraper.  _Elyys'tel..._ Taylor thought, his heart aching to have finally reached the place his friend had been imprisoned so long; because of his failure to save him.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing!" Grace gasped, gazing at the sight with awe, as Taylors hands curled into fists. "It's...  _impossible!_  Trees have never grown thay large!"

"Not  _yet,_  you mean." Rourke sneered, straightening his jacket as he caught up to them, having chosen to walk rather than keep up with their mad dash. "But one day, they will..." He said, grinning broadly as he stared a the village with a calculating gleam in his eyes.

Taylor gasped, as with another great blast of the horns, a small phalanx of Vaanti marched out of the village base far below. In the center of the group walked a familiar figure, his hands bound.

"Is  _that-"_  Aleister gasped, looking towards what had caused tears to spring to Taylors eyes. Jake reached over, gripping one of his tight fists and squeezing in reassurance.

"It's  _him!"_  Sean cried, his eyes wide as he stared down at the procession in blatant disbelief.

Taylors heart pounded painfully against his ribs, as even from the distance he could make out the familiar face, now graced with longer hair, and a beard.

_"Diego..!"_


	3. Those Left Behind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aloha!
> 
> First off; I apologise if at any point this does not make sense. I stayed up til about four am last night just typing away and before I realised it was done and I edited it just now and like WOW - it is not what I expected AT. ALL. But, I kinda like it
> 
> So; anyway... I hope this is okay - please dont hesitate to let me know if it is - or isnt! I love your feedback because its always amazing and I just.. well, love it.
> 
> x My love to you all x

_**Dear Jake;** _

_Hands up who was actually surprised by Rourke being a back stabbing cockwomble? Yup, that's what I thought; not even Aleister... Which is weird given how surprised he was later... But I'm jumping ahead again, aren't I?_

_I don't remember if I ever told you how scared I was during that poor excuse for a rescue... Not for myself, but for you, Diego; everyone. I don't suppose I will ever be not scared for any of you. You all mean so much to me, and obviously, you even more than that... I hope wherever your future's take you all, you'll be safe at least._

**3.**

**Those Left Behind.**

Taylor stared at the tree village looming in the distance, it's myriad lanterns and rope bridges swaying in the wind, as he swallowed thickly and felt a deep rush of guilt and hope combined. He felt Jake's hand slowly encourage his tightly balled hand to release enough to allow his fingers to slip in, lacing them quickly with his own and squeezing tightly. At the base of the sprawling village, a small army of Vaanti marched into the rainforest; and his best friend was an unwilling captive within their ranks.

 **"Pashti!"**  A green skinned female cried, the sound carrying easily as the wind blew towards the group. Her elephant mask glittering in the sunlight as she gestures sharply at Diego. " **Khell saa!"**

"Okay, okay..." Diego sighed, and Taylor tugged against Jake's restraining hand, eager to reach his tired looking friend. "I'm moving!"

 _"Diego!"_  Taylor gasped, as Jake wrapped his free arm around his shoulder and pulling him close, whispering words of encouragement and promises of rescue against his temple. Taylor shook his head, watching as his friend was practically paraded through the village, his hands bound and his shirt torn.  _"Jake..."_

"I know, Boy Scout, I know..." The pilot said, his voice a reassuring hum as he pressed a quick but fierce kiss to Taylor's brow.

" **Uch nat'lanqua.** " A wizened shaman glanced back at Diego briefly, before leading the group onward.

"Where are they taking him?" Quinn gasped, craning her neck to see the group marching towards the jungle.

"My, look at them go!" Rourke commented, his eyes alight with malicious glee as he watched the group lead Diego away. "Such charming primitives. And certainly worthy of further study..."

"We ain't here to  _study_  them, Daddy Weirdbucks." Jake growled, drawing back from Taylor enough that he could glare at the suited man. "We're here to save Boy Scout's B.F.F." He snapped, and Taylor felt a giddy, if somewhat misplaced rush of affection for the pilot at his defense.

"Are you unfamiliar with the phrase, ' _know thy enemy'_?" Rourke asked lightly, sneering towards Jake.

"You  _sonuva-"_  Jake growled, and Taylor clutched his hand tightly, glancing up and meeting the pilots eyes with a desperate gaze. Jake's eyes softened, the clear blue focusing on Taylor's dark, as he squeezed his hand.

"Now,  _now."_  Rourke said smugly, grinning broadly at the pilot in what he no doubt felt was victory at having riled him. "I'm simply suggesting that we analyze their behavior to improve our odds of successfully rescuing your  _dear_  friend." The man said, and Taylor was about to turn and snarl at the man when he was drawn up short in surprise, as he was beaten to the punch.

"You have no idea how ridiculous altruism looks on you, do you?" Aleister sneered, his arms folded over his chest as he frowned at his father with heavy disapproval.

"He knows." Estela said disinterestedly, her eyes still locked on the procession below them. "He just thinks we're stupid."

"Well," Jake sighed, running a hand through his hair as he peered down at the moving group. "Whatever the Vaanti are up to, it can't be good. We've gotta get him outta there." He said, his eyes hardening and moving quickly, as his military mind began making plans. Taylor squeezed his hand appreciatively, his heart warming at the thought of finally saving his friend.

"But there must be dozens of them..." Quinn said slowly, shaking her head as she glanced around their small group. "What hope do we have?" She asked, her cheeks puffing into a pout as her hands slid into her back pockets.

Taylor looked around his friends, struck by the startling realization that he was risking more of them to rescue one, and his heart clenched painfully at the thought. He watched, as everyone shifted uncomfortably, glancing at one another in silence, as they faced the reality of the overwhelming odds. Taylor looked up at Jake, his heart giving a painful lurch at the thought of losing the pilot in exchange of saving Diego. He took a deep breath, and Jake's eyes immediately narrowed in suspicion as he stood straighter. "I'll go alone." He said firmly, glancing at his friends with fond affection, before turning back to Jake. "I can't risk anyone else getting caught... or hurt." He said, as Jake snorted and rolled his eyes at him, raising a brow as he pushed on determinedly. "Diego's  _my_  best friend... and I've got to do whatever it takes to help him, but-"

"You can't take those dudes out by yourself, Taylor!" Craig growled, cutting him off as he slammed his fist meaningfully into his opposing palm.

"I'm not sticking around to watch you Leeroy Jenkins yourself." Zahra said with a scowl, bumping her fist against Craig's as they both firmly refused his plan.

"Brave." Estela said, shrugging her shoulders as she offered him a wry half grin.  _"Stupid,_  but brave." She snickered, as he rolled his eyes at her.

"There was a time when I tried to go it alone." Jake murmured quietly, as Taylor slowly raised his eyes to meet the pilots gaze. "Thought I'd be doing my old team a favour..." He said, swallowing as he squeezed Taylor's hand and leaned closer. "It's a choice I regret,  _every_  day of my life." He said, his eyes glittering with the sincerity of his words. Taylor's throat constricted, and he reached up to toy with the pilots dog tags affectionately. "Like it or not, I'm comin' with ya, Taylor."

"Combined, Taylor and Jake's projected chance of success rises to seven percent." Iris interjected helpfully, though Taylor winced at the prediction, his heart racing in panic at the thought of his pilot captured or injured in his place.

"I really do  _not_  like this plan." Taylor pouted, glaring balefully at his pilot as he bit his lip."One day I'm gonna figure out a way to keep you safe..." He sighed, leaning his forehead on the pilots chest, as a laugh rumbled through it.

"Well, that's just inspiring me to just never let you outta my sight, Boy Scout." Jake replied, his arm resting on the back of Taylors head briefly, before they parted and turned towards Aleister as he began to speak; although Taylor couldn't keep from biting his lip at the tingle in his spine, from the sentiment behind pilots words.

"That's being a tad generous, Iris..." The pale boy sighed, looking thoughtfully down at the Vaanti village.

 _"Screw_  the numbers!" Sean cried, looking the group in shock as he gestured towards Taylor and Jake. "Are you guys just going to let these two go out and get captured or killed by those Vaanti?" He demanded, his gaze hardening as he pointed down to the moving group with Diego bound at their center, far below. "Taylor needs our help.  _Diego_  needs our help. If we ever make it off this crazy island, it'll be because we worked as a  _team..._  And a team stays a team, until the job is done." He said meaningfully, glaring around the group as he curled one hand into a fist and raised it into the air. "Now  _who's in_?"

For a moment, nobody moved, and Sean balked, until everyone began sniggering at his baffled expression. They stepped forward slowly, one by one, until everyone had formed a tight circle around Taylor and Jake. The pilot winked and squeezed his hand encouragingly, beaming a wide grin at him which lit a candle of hope in his heart; as well as the fuse of his panic.

" _Let's do this_!" Craig cheered, offering his fist around the circle for everyone to bump, a ritual which everyone partook of as Rourke watched them in bafflement from the far side of the ridge.

 _"Yeah!"_  Quinn cheered, her tiny fist barely even comparing to Craig's huge one, causing them all to giggle.

"If it weren't for Taylor, I would've been captured too... I'm in!" Raj cheered, a huge grin on his face as he clapped Taylor on the back, knocking him closer against Jake.

"We  _have_  to help him!" Grace cried, her eyes wide as her fingers tapped nervously together, though she appeared determined and calculating as she eyed the marching Vaanti below them.

"What a merry little band of brothers you are." Rourke commented drolly, shaking his head at their display. "Iris, how are our chances looking now?" He asked the hologram, who immediately flickered a short distance away from the man.

"With everyone together," the A.I. intoned, her eyes flashing as she ran calculations. "Projected success is now twelve percent!" She said cheerfully, beaming around the group proudly.

 _"Man,"_  Raj sighed, visibly deflating at the hologram's prediction. "We could really use ex-CIA badass Bryan Mills right now..."

"Potential increase to forty eight percent if assisted by Liam Neeson's character from the movie  _'Taken'."_  Iris supplied with a happy grin, her eyes crinkling in fond amusement as Raj's jaw dropped.

"That's gotta be, like, almost four times as much!" The large boy cried, his eyes wide as he stared at the hologram in awe.

"Technically, that's  _exactly_  four times as much!" Grace giggled, high fiving the large boy as she poked get tongue out at him.

"In case you dorks haven't noticed, this isn't a movie." Michelle reminded them with a scowl, folding her arms over her chest as the pair glanced down at the Vaanti and sobered somewhat.

"We don't need any movie star, action heroes..." Taylor said, grinning widely as he tugged at Jake's jacket lapels. "We got our very own; slick shootin' and plane flyin' hero, _right here_." He said, smirking delightedly as Jake turned a furious shade of pink.

"Aw, shucks, Boy Scout..." He drawled, grinning as he ruffled his hair affectionately. "And here I thought _I_  was the smooth one." He said, chuckling as his eyes softened.

"Well," Craig said, drawing the groups attention away, as Jake and Taylor spent another second locked into each others heated gazes. Taylor bit his lip, as Jake winked at him, and they turned towards the jock with a mutual step away from each other; though their hands naturally found each other, and laced themselves together. "Since they don't know we're coming, I say we set up a fast hit and catch 'em with their pants down!" The jock continued, grinning smugly at the thought of the Vaanti caught so unaware.

"Ya realise Big Guy," Jake said pointedly, gesturing towards the Vaanti. "Most of 'em don't seem to wear pants... They're all wearing either skirts or wizard robes, by my eye." He said, and Taylor giggled despite his best efforts not to.

 _"Jake..!"_  He scolded quietly, trying to keep a straight face as he squeezed the pilots hand.  _"Concentrate!"_  He ordered.

Jake raised a brow, his eyes raking over Taylor thoughtfully. "On taking ya clothes off?" He asked hopefully, and Taylor lost himself to a fit of giggles, unable to fight the light humour in such a serious situation.

"You mean how we caught you outside Sigma Theta in spring quarter?" Michelle asked Craig loudly, distracting everyone from Taylors inability to control himself.

"Exactly." The jock said, nodding his head as he smirked proudly. "It'd be just like the Galician Gambit in-"

 _"Gods and Warlords three_!" Zahra said, beaming a grin at the jock. "We could only beat it when we teamed up..." She said fondly, as Craig turned towards her in surprise.

"You remember that?" He asked curiously, almost seeming shy in his hesitance.

"Of  _course,"_  she scoffed, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she looked up at him thoughtfully. "But like I always told you,  _stealth_  is what gets you in and out without anyone noticing. That's the strategy we should use here." She said.

 _"Ha!"_  He snorted, beaming a wide grin her way as he recalled their gaming time together. "Yeah, you were all about those invisibility cloaks!" He sniggered, as Zahra elbowed him playfully in the ribs.

"Awww, you two are  _adorable_  together!" Quinn gushed, beaming at them both, as Taylor rolled his eyes; noticing the two flinch in realization of their surroundings. "I didn't know you were friends."

Craig and Zahra looked back to each other with wide eyes, suddenly stammering as they each turned a different shade of pink. "We're... We're  _not!"_  Craig denied loudly, as Zahra snorted and crossed her arms tightly over her chest.

"Of course not!" She sneered, scowling at the jock as she tossed her Mohawk over her shoulder. "Craig's idea is  _stupid_  anyway!"

"No,  _yours_  is stupid!" Craig growled, his hands balling into fists. Taylor shook his head at the pair, watching with amusement as they threw insults at each other. "We can't just slip past the Vaanti! They'll catch us!" He insisted.

"Oh, so instead you think you can surprise attack?" Zahra sneered maliciously, snorting as she shook her head and looked away from the jock, locking her eyes on the giant tree in the distance. "No wonder you always get  _wrecked,_  meathead."

Taylor noticed Craig's slight flinch, and the genuine anger which caused his shoulders to rise. He stepped forward to intervene, but Jake held his hand tightly, drawing him back. "Sometimes a things just gotta be said, Boy Scout. Else it'll never heal." The pilot whispered, as he leaned close to Taylors ear.

"At least I don't think I'm some ninja when I'm really just a  _wannabe punk_  who steals nail polish from Hot Topic!" Craig sneered, as Zahra visibly tensed, before brushing the comment off, ignoring the jock entirely as he glared at her.

 _"Whoa."_  Sean murmured, glancing towards Taylor, who frowned and looked behind himself just incase he was stood in front of someone.  _Why's it always me?_  He wondered briefly, before Sean gestured towards the silently fuming pair. "Taylor, I think we've gotta make a decision between them."

"I doubt either of 'em will be easily convinced..." Jake added with a sigh, squeezing Taylors hand in encouragement before releasing him.

Taylor frowned between the two, chewing his lip as they shared an uncertain look over his distinct lack of decision making. "Why is it whenever you guys say 'we gotta decide', what you really mean is 'Taylor's gotta decide'?" He asked, scowling between the two and stubbornly refusing to move.

"'Cause we trust your judgement." Jake said, grinning widely as Taylor threw him a withering expression.

 _"You_  hate my judgement." Taylor said flatly, folding his arms over his chest.

"I hate your  _plans."_  Jake corrected, waggling his finger at him playfully. "Neither of these is yours, you're just picking between 'em." When Taylor made no move towards Zahra and Craig, the pilot grinned broadly, flashing him a cocky wink. "You want  _me_  to choose?"

 _"No!"_  Taylor immediately gasped, as Jake snickered to himself, and Sean hid a grin behind his hand. "Your judgement is even worse than  _mine..."_  Taylor grumbled, shuffling towards the group as Jake and Sean bumped fists in triumph, before glancing at each other with confused scowls and taking a large step away from each other.

Taylor slowly approached Zahra and Craig, who were glaring at each other with a thick tension cloying the air around them. "Guys..?" He asked tentatively, flinching when they both turned towards him in expectant frustration. "I, uh... I think that we should-"

"I was  _hoping_  you'd ask for my opinion," Rourke sighed, his face contorted into a frustrated grimace as he stepped over. Taylor snapped his mouth shut, raising a brow as he sneered at him. "Given my expertise on the Hostiles, that is. All reports on our not-so-friendly tribal folk indicate that they possess superhuman vision, hearing, strength and agility... It would be extraordinarily difficult to ambush them, or to slip by unnoticed." He said said superiorly, tugging his jacket lapels as he peered around the group expectantly.

"As helpful as ever, Father." Aleister sneered derisively, rolling his eyes. "Do you  _actually_  have a suggestion or are you merely pontificating as is your custom?"

"I am after all, a man of ideas, Aleister-"

"Indeed, but on this occasion I believe Taylor has far more experience than yourself; having taken on their leader." Aleister said, a maliciously, gleeful smirk curling his lips as he glanced over at his father. " _And won._ " He added pointedly.

Rourke looked over at Taylor with obvious surprise, his eyes widening as he examined him with something almost approaching respect. "Hmm, well..." He said, as Taylor shrugged nonchalantly, his hand clutched into a tight ball behind his back. "I was going to say that the only way to get past them, is for them to not be there at all." Rourke explained, recovering his natural smug countenance.

"Do you  _always_  talk in riddles?" Jake demanded, stepping up beside Taylor and discreetly covering his tensed hand with his own, as he glared at the suited man fiercely. "Or just when you're trying to get punched in the face?" He growled threateningly, and Taylor felt the tension in his shoulders ease, as a small giggle escaped him at the mental image which presented itself.

"Allow me to rephrase in a way your  _meager_  minds can comprehend." Rourke sighed dramatically, shaking his head at them. " _We have to lure the Hostiles away_."

"So, a distraction." Taylor deduced, rolling his eyes at the mans long winded nature.

"Ah,  _one_  of you at least, has a brain." Rourke said cheerfully, smirking condescendingly around the group. "Misdirection, disinformation, a little sleight of hand..." The suited man enthused, his eyes alight with the thought of deceit. Taylor frowned, glancing aside as he felt a memory tug at his mind, but unable to fully grasp its message. "These are invaluable skills in all walks of life."

"Says the greatest liar the world ever saw," Taylor scoffed, rolling his eyes as the memory fled him. However, it's presence brought to mind a thought; and he twisted his hand to grasp Jake's hand, squeezing it gently but urgently to grab his attention.

"As much as I hate to admit it," Aleister sighed, running a hand over his almost immaculately gelled hair. "If there's anyone who knows how to deceive and manipulate, it's my father..." He said, his voice coloured heavily by shame.

Taylor glanced at Jake, meeting his eyes with a meaningful gaze, just as a familiar presence entered his mind. His eyes went wide, panicking as Jake frowned at him in concern. Everything around him seemed to go quiet, as he felt Varyyn approaching. "... He's here." He gasped, his hand clutching at Jake's tightly as he tilted his head and tried to follow the strange bond to it's origin.

"Huh?" Jake frowned, his arms raising to Taylors shoulders as he tried to reclaim his attention.  _"Who's_  here, Boy Scout?" He asked urgently, his eyes wide with concern.

 _"Quick!"_  Taylor cried in a harsh whisper, turning back to Jake quickly, his eyes frantic. " _Get down!_ " He demanded, shoving Jake ahead of him toward the trees and then shoo-ing the others after him, before disappearing out of sight himself; just as a lone Vaanti emerged from the trees on the opposite side of the ridge. At his side, prowled the sinuous, deadly beast itself; T'kal.

" **They went this way.** " Varyyn murmured, his hand in the sabertooths thick fur, as he clearly scanned the area for them. With T'kal pacing placidly beside him, Varyyn caught sight of Diego's entourage entering the rainforest below, and headed in their direction, before stopping suddenly. Taylor held his breath, narrowing his eyes as he sensed Varyyn somewhere in his head, and he knew that Varyyn could sense him too.

 _"Taylor!"_  Quinn whispered furiously, glancing frantically at the approaching Vaanti. " _He turned around! He's coming this way!_ "

 _"I think he can read my thoughts too.._ " He whispered frantically, running a hand through his hair as panic raced through his veins.

" _Then think about something else.._." Jake said quietly, leaning over and grasping his hands tightly. " _Make him leave_." He said, his clear eyes calm as he stared at Taylor confidently. " _You got this_." He whispered.

Taylor met Jake's confident eyes with his own panicked ones, drawing strength from his pilot, before taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, focusing his thoughts on Diego's face. He imagined his best friends goofy grin, the way his eyes gleamed knowingly whenever he had been teasing him about Jake. He recalled the sight he'd just seen, of his torn shirt, long hair, and his bearded face. He opened his eyes slowly, to find Jake watching him with a grin, winking quickly before jerking his head towards where Varyyn had come to a sudden halt. The Vaanti warrior looked back in the direction that Diego's escort had marched him in. ".. **.It was nothing. Let's go.** " He said, as the sabertooth huffed at him. With startling grace, Varyyn sprinted into the brush and out of sight, the sabertooth bounding quickly after him.

"It  _worked!"_  Michelle gasped, as she stepped out from their hiding place, a long pause after they Vaanti and his beast had disappeared.

"Truly  _incredible..."_  Rourke said, beaming a huge grin at Taylor, creeping him out and making him recoil from the man. "What a  _fascinating specimen_  you are, Taylor." He said, and Taylor froze, narrowing his eyes as he locked with Rourke's; a sudden hollowness in his chest _._

 _He knows._  He thought, a rush of fear and awe swirling in his gut, bubbling like nausea as his heart sank. _He knows everything... Everything at the river was just another game, he already knows... everything.._. He felt Jake shake him free of his stupor, and he blinked as he forced his realization into a box at the back of his mind.

"You just Jedi mind-tricked the hell outta that dude!" Raj cried, his jaw dropping as he stared after the disappeared Vaanti, before looking over at Taylor with wide eyes. "Can I be your Padawan, Taylor?"

" _Ha ha_!" Quinn cheered, skipping excitedly as she clapped her hands with Michelle's. "How's that for the power of positive thinking?" She giggled, as her expression faltered. Taylor's eyes narrowed, as he noticed the redhead reaching toward a tree to brace herself.  _"Uhn..._  Not feeling... so good." She gasped suddenly, wobbling wearily as she began to fall backwards.

Taylor immediately leapt forward and wrapped his arms around Quinn, just in time to keep her from hitting the ground. "Got you..." He murmured, as he lowered her to rest against the tree, running his eyes over her worriedly; his own concerns swept aside in the face of her sudden frailty.

"I think, I... need to lie down for a second." Taylor bit his lip, as Quinn tried to smile at him, despite being alarmingly pale. Her chest was rising and falling with quick shallow breaths, and Taylor quickly took her hand, squeezing it reassuringly as she looked up at him with a pout.

"Oh no..." Grace cried, her hands rising to cover her lips as she looked at Quinn with wide eyes. "She's not looking so good!"

"You can't let me slow you down..." Quinn said quietly, averting her eyes as she puffed out her cheeks, her eyes welling with tears. "You have to go and save Diego..."

Taylor was already shaking his head, brushing her hair aside from her brow gently. "I'm not about to leave you behind, Quinn." He said, and she giggled quietly, smiling sweetly at him.

"Oh,  _Taylor..."_  She sighed, exasperation and affection combining as she grinned widely at him. "I'm not what's important here. And I don't think... I'm going to be getting up for a bit." She said, surrendering to a coughing fit.

"Quinn, look around." Taylor ordered quietly, gesturing to both Craig and Sean as they watched her worriedly, the entire group drawing close around them. "Do you see these two strapping young lads here?"

"Hey, what am  _I?_ " Jake demanded, scowling at him as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

Taylor threw the pilot a withering glare over his shoulder.  _"Taken."_  He said firmly, causing Quinn to giggle amid her coughs.

"Well," Jake coughed, ducking his head as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Guess I walked into  _that_  one." The pilot said, trying hard to hide the grin on his face by keeping it lowered. Craig and Zahra bumped fists, sniggering at the pilots discomfort, and he rounded on them quickly; nudging them into each other as they continued to snigger.

"Quinn..." Taylor said, shaking his head as he looked back down at the redhead, his eyes soft as she reluctantly met his gaze. "You can't keep hiding, Quinn..." He said quietly, making sure she was the only person who could hear him. She bit her lip, looking up at him with obvious trepidation.

"With the respiratory difficulty its got to be something..." Michelle mumbled frantically, her fingers curling in her hair as she tried to recall her medical training.

"My scanners indicate that the Hostiles are moving steadily eastward." Iris informed them, her eyes flashing as she stared after the departing Vaanti.

"Not good, at this rate, we won't be able to catch up..." Jake said quietly, resting his hand on Taylors shoulder as he peered down at him in concern.

"Guys, you need to go." Michelle said suddenly, crouching down opposite Taylor and shifting Quinn's frail body to her own lap. "I'll stay here, and see if I can find something to get her electrolytes up."

Taylor hesitated, frowning between the two, until Aleister sighed and stepped up behind Michelle. "I'll remain and keep watch." He said, standing stiffly over the two girls, though his blue eyes showed the depth of his concern. "Had about enough of this excursion anyway..." He said lightly, throwing his father a frustrated glare.

"I'm staying with you!" Grace cried, dashing forward and attaching herself to his side. The pale bly glanced down, his arm seeming to wrap around her shoulders unconsciously.

"I'll help keep a lookout." Raj said, clapping them both on the shoulder as he stepped up behind them.

"We should pick a distress signal." Jake suggested, squeezing Taylors shoulder as he glanced around the group. "Malfoy can sound it for us, if more Vaanti show up... Any ideas?"

Taylor looked at Quinn a moment longer, and she squeezed his hands quickly before firmly pushing them away, gesturing him to go with the others. "Aleister's signal should be a whistled melody." He said with a heavy sigh, pushing to his feet. Jake's hand slid down his shoulder, lacing together with his own and squeezing in reassurance.

"How about Chopin's 'Nocturne'?" The pale boy queried thoughtfully and Taylor nodded dejectedly, seeking comfort as he leaned discreetly against Jake's shoulder, as Aleister quietly whistled a series of trilling notes.

"Good choice, Aleister!" Grace cried cheerfully, beaming at the pale boy as he tinged with pink. "It sounds almost like a bird call, yet still distinctive enough to still recognize!"

"I do have  _some_  talents..." He said, a small smile curving his lips as he glanced down at the dark skinned girl.

"You  _do."_  She agreed sweetly, her eyes soft as she peered up at him with genuine fond affection.

"I guess... that about covers it." Taylor said, sighing as he stretched out his hand for Aleister's, who shook it firmly after only a moment of stunned staring. "Stay safe out here... I don't... I don't wanna lose any of you." He said thickly, as he released Aleister's hand and stepped back to look around at those who were staying behind.

As the setting sun disappeared behind the mountains, Taylor and the others marched resolutely toward the rainforest. He paused at the edge, warring with himself over the desire to turn back. He felt Jake's warm hand slip into his own, and draw him into the trees, making the decision for him. They moved through the thick foliage, following Diego's trail, when a pair of Vaanti suddenly rounded the bend ahead of them and everyone quickly rushed to find cover.

"Alright, Lex Luthor." Jake demanded in a fierce whisper, brushing his hair free of his face. "You said you had a plan?"

"Of course." Rourke said smugly, grinning broadly toward the two Vaanti from the cover of a tree. "The first lesson is this: never do work for yourself, when others can do it for you." He said, and suddenly, Taylors mind clicked the pieces together.

 _He's using us... The idol's are specific to each of us, he needs us to find them!_  He thought, a faint hum of certainty registering from a distant part of his mind, where his lake of alternate memories resided. He bit his lip, thinking frantically to try and guess the outcome of their journey, but no memory would show itself to him. He sighed and shook his head, as Rourke called Iris over to him.

"Yes, Mr. Rourke." She said hesitantly, grimacing as she searched through her files. "Activating audio playback..." Her blue hologram flickered suddenly, and vanished. The small projector drone fluttered over behind the Vaanti.

" **Ha'kalast, zabitu na klaawyi!** " Iris's drone replayed a perfect recording of a Vaanti voice, and from the way one of the warriors ahead of them wheeled around to glare at the other, Taylor assumed it was of a particularly offensive phrase.

 **"Tellok rapta**?" He demanded, his wolf mask shifting as he the other Vaanti.

" **Zok nijlaz!** " The other responded, resting on his sheathed sword, but making no move toward drawing it; despite his obvious ire. " **Q'arrkalni!** " He yelled, and in a flash of movement, the two Vaanti suddenly dove at each other. They wrestled in a ferocious brawl, which took them rolling down the hill.

 _"Wow,_  Iris..." Taylor said, as he stepped out of his hiding place. "What'd you  _do?"_  He asked, looking after the two Vaanti with raised brows, remembering their fierce bickering.

"I simply played back a recording of a Hostile calling another one  _'as ugly as a klaawyi's butt_ '." The A.I. replied cheerfully, her eyes crinkling in amusement as Taylor laughed suddenly.

"What is a  _klaawyi?"_  Craig asked hesitantly, looking between the two. "Does it have an ugly butt?" He asked hopefully.

 _"Yes."_  Iris said smugly, and Craig broke into a pleased grin at her reply.

"That was  _brilliant,_  sir!" Lila cheered, her eyes blazing with affection for the suited man. Taylor felt immediately sicked by the display, and he averted his eyes to find Jake leaning naturally against a large tree, his hands in his pockets as he caught Taylor's gaze and winked at him. "Getting them to fight among themselves! Just  _brilliant!"_

" _Divide et impera._ " Rourke said smugly, beaming a wide grin at the perky tour guide.

"What's that?" Taylor asked, frowning as he tried to understand the unfamiliar phrase.

" _'Divide and conquer_.' The Rourke family motto." Iris replied, when Rourke remained noticeably silent.

"Well, we're okay for now," Taylor said, sighing as he cut across the clearing to check around the bend that no Vaanti were approaching. "But there'll only be more Vaanti as we get closer to Diego..." He said, turning back to the group dejectedly.

"Right, and if you're spotted, things could get bad for Abercrombie-and-Twitch." Jake said, snapping his fingers as something suddenly seemed to occur to the pilot. "Actually, I think I've got something that'll help..." He said, slinging his pack from his shoulder and digging into it, pulling out some camouflage gear.

 _"Nice!"_  Sean praised, eyeing the garments appreciatively, a faint hint of envy in his gaze. "In that, I bet you could get  _really_  close without being seen. You might even be able to eavesdrop on the Vaanti..." He added, as Taylor walked over to the pilot with a suspicious grin.

"Is uh," He paused, his hands taking the clothes gently from Jake's grasp. "Is this your way of getting me to wear something of yours?" He asked hesitantly, peeking up at the pilot, who winked but gave no verbal answer. Taylor sniggered, a warmth budding in his chest as he slipped behind the tree and began to unbutton his shirt.

"You uh, need a hand with that?" Jake called, making Taylor laugh loudly at the hopeful tone of his voice.

"You really are  _insatiable..."_  He whispered fondly, heat flooding into his cheeks as he buried his face into the camouflage gear to stifle his giggling, as he recalled their personal time loops by the lake. He inhaled deeply, savoring the faint scent of whiskey in the fabric as he bit his lip and slipped the shirt over his head, quickly buttoning the short-sleeved jacket after it. "I think the idea is I put the clothes  _on_  Top Gun..." He called at last, his voice finally steady enough to reply. He heard Craig and Zahra guffaw with laughter, as Jake chuckled guiltily. Snickering to himself, Taylor quickly changed from his shorts and trainers to the camouflage trousers and boots. When he was finally ready, he quickly folded his old clothes and shoved them in his bag, before taking a deep breath; and stepping around the tree with a wide grin. "Hey, this fits pretty nicely."

Jake turned towards him with a grin, which only brightened as he raked his eyes over Taylor appreciatively. " _I'll say_!" He said, before clearing his throat suddenly, as he his cheeks dusted with a faint blush. "I mean, yeah... I guess it's fine."

"You can have it back if you don't think it suits me..." Taylor said innocently, his fingers reaching for the top button, when Jake's hand rushed to snatch it away.

"Nope." The pilot said, shaking his head as he grinned once more, caught in his own ploy. "Nope, that can stay  _right_  where it is. Damn thing never looked so good." He said quietly, and Taylor felt his stomach flutter under the pilots lingering gaze.

"Hmm, guess I would need to see it on you to compare..." He said lightly, and Jake huffed, rolling his eyes as he stepped back.

"Subtle, Boy Scout,  _real_  subtle." He snorted, as Taylor sniggered and fingered at his dog tags, peeking up at him through his lashes.

"Okay, this has gone from hilarious to barf inducing fluff," Zahra snarked, scowling uncomfortably in their general direction, without actually looking at them. Taylor noticed Craig in a similar position, and huffed a small laugh at the pair. "Let's get a move on."

Taylor spared a final heated gaze at Jake, who winked at him, before he turned to survey their surroundings. He glanced back to find the pilots eyes had immediately dropped to his ass, and he laughed as he shook his head and led the group deeper into the forest. His expression turned serious, as Craig moved up next to Rourke, swinging his arms in a casual strut.

"So," the jock said, drawing the word out in disdain, as he eyed Rourke critically. "You think you're some kinda _big shot_ , Mr. Rourke?" He asked, and Taylor almost tripped in his eagerness to get closer and hear whatever Craig had to say.

"I'm a man who believes in hard work, ambition, and thrift." Rourke replied, either missing or ignoring Taylor's snort of disbelief. "No less and no more... And feel free to call me Everett, Craig."

"We're not supposed to do that!" Craig growled, his hands balling into fists at his sides.

"He's not a teacher, dorkwad." Zahra sniggered, glancing over at the jock fondly, before scowling as she noticed Taylor grinning at her. "And do you mind keeping your mouth shut? You're making us break stealth."

"I'm just doin' me, Zahra!" Craig said, scowling at the girl as she peered over at him with a raised brow.

"That sounded better in your head, didn't it, Craiggers?" She asked, her lips twitching despite her obvious irritation.

"And I say," Craig said louder, covering his discomfort. "He's a stuck up  _tool,_  who's really just a big fish in a little pond!"

"Boy Scout," Jake murmured, sidling up beside him. "If he keeps mouthing off at Phony Stark, we're sitting ducks..." The pilot said, his lips twitching as Taylor pouted at him.

"But..." He whined pathetically, causing Jake to laugh, despite the pilots efforts not to. Taylor sighed, shaking his head as he eyed Craig fondly, wishing he could see him tease the Hydra a little longer; but understanding that perhaps the timing was a little off. "This is  _so_  unfair..." He sighed dejectedly, as Jake ruffled his hair. With a groan he forced himself to close the gap between himself and Craig, falling into step beside the jock as he peeked up at him. "Hey, Craig, remind me... So you happen to know who won Super Bowl Twenty Two?"

 _"Pfft!_  Of course!" Craig growled without thinking, before his eyes blew wide suddenly. "Wait. Super Bowl  _Twenty Two_?" He gasped, his eyes narrowing in thought.

"C'mon, Craig, it was the-" Sean began, grinning broadly at his friend as Craig waved his arms at him frantically.

 _"Shut up,_  don't tell me, dude!" Craig pleaded, his entire hulking frame seeming to vibrate with the force of his mental search. "I  _know_  this!" He enthused, tapping his large hand against his thigh as he walked. "Uh... hang on. Just, gimme a sec..." He muttered, falling silent as he desperately tried to remember the answer.

Zahra nudged Taylor as he fell back, leaning close as she offered him her fist to bump. " _Nice job, Taylor."_  she whispered, grinning at him proudly, as the group moved forward in silence at last; as Craig boggled over the answer. Before long, they began to notice the recline of the dense overgrowth, the trees thinking as an expansive canyon came into view.

 _"Duuuuuude..."_  Craig gasped, looking around with wide eyes at the ruined structures, which poked out of the forest canopy like ancient, bleached bones that gleamed in the light of the full moon. Up ahead of them, the path appeared to curve sharply around a pyramid like structure. Intricate carvings jutted from its steeply sloping walls.

Taylor gasped, pointing urgently as he noticed a group of Vaanti standing guard along the path near the pyramid. "Careful..." He whispered, barely catching Jake's faint nod of approval.

"Must be something important about that building..." Lila said thoughtfully, tapping her finger to her lip as she narrowed her eyes at the Vaanti.

"Taylor, with these camos on, you and I could probably sneak over and check it out." Jake suggested, his clear eyes meeting Taylors darker ones confidently. "After we get eyes on what they're guarding, we can rejoin the group on the other side of the bend." He said, gesturing to the end of the path they were following, around the other side of the pyramid.

"Let's do it." Taylor said, nodding to the rest of the group, before slipping after the pilot. He copied Jake's movements as best he could, keeping low and quiet, as they made their way toward the pyramid. He grinned, as the pilots camo outfit, he was able to blend seamlessly into the forest floor and avoid detection.

"I don't see any doors in this thing..." Jake murmured quietly, as they reached the pyramid, careful to keep his voice low. "Must be some kind of monument." He said thoughtfully, gesturing to a statue. Depicting a reclining woman, it dominated the front of the pyramid. Her arms were folded across her chest, and a gleamed on one stone finger.

Taylor leaned closer, narrowing his eyes at the ring. The band seemed badly deteriorated, but appeared to be made of gold. Light still refracted from the darkened facets of the jewel. "It looks really old, but I think... is that a  _wedding ring?"_  He wondered aloud, shuffling closer as words engraved along the band caught his eye. " _July twenty first, nineteen twenty one, and ever after.._." He murmured, as Jake snorted and rolled his eyes. Taylor narrowed his own at the pilot briefly, who raised his palms in surrender, his gaze amused as he gestured back to the statue. Taylor snorted, as he examined the carving on the statue instead.

A highly detailed relief depicted a crowd of people, gathered around a woman whose face was hidden behind a mask. He gasped, a flutter of images running through his mind without his permission, leaving a distinct hum of sadness in it's wake.  _"Flora..."_  He whispered breathlessly. Jake looked at him sharply, but as soon as he met the pilots gaze, the name was lost and he merely shook his head blankly. "I uh, u think the statue; is of the sane woman, as the one in the carving. Only... The statue isn't wearing a mask." He said, as he leaned back to let Jake examine them for himself.

The pilot peered at the scene perplexedly. "You making anything of this horseshit?" Jake asked, his eyes wide as he shook his head at the confusing depictions.

"The Vaanti seem to revere this place..." Taylor said thoughtfully, "but the people depicted in the carvings, are in modern clothes." He said, rubbing a hand unconsciously across his brow, as a deep itch resonated in his mind.

"Tuxes and evening gowns, yeah..." Jake murmured, frowning in thought as he traced one of the carvings with his finger. "Looks like a costume party for the  _well-to-douche_." He said, sniggering to himself at his own comment.

Taylor rolled his eyes and leaned back, trying to examine the statue itself. There was a funerary quality to the woman's pose, he eventually decided, scratching the back of his neck in awkward frustration. He shook his head, his eyes trailing over the woman's serene facial features, almost thinking she looked like she was slumbering. The statues arms were crossed too tightly to allow access to the ring. "If we want that ring," Jake said, catching the way Taylor was looking at the small band. "I think we're gonna have to play  _Indiana Jones_."

"Well damn, I'm wearing the wrong outfit..." Taylor said dryly, as Jake dissolved into a fit of quiet sniggers beside him. He chuckled at the pilot fondly, looking back at the statue thoughtfully. "There has to be some way to free it from the statue..." He said seriously, frowning as he narrowed his eyes and tried to summon any kind of memory about the statue. He gasped, uncertain if his sudden epiphany had come from an alternate memory or just prolonged staring, as he stepped closer and raised his hands over the statues face. He grinned, stepping back proudly when a muffled click resounded from somewhere nearby. The statue's arm slowly swung outward, allowing the ring to slide off and drop to the ground.

"See, now I'm gonna have to start calling you, Genius." Jake complained fondly, grinning as he ruffled Taylors hair affectionately.

"Oh no," Taylor said, shaking his head adamantly as Jake's hand slid to his cheek, twisting to kiss the pilots fingers briefly. "I'm a bona fide Boy Scout now, through and through." He said with a lopsided grin, earning himself a snort of amusement from the pilot. Jake knelt down and picked up the ring, holding it up to Taylor, whose brows rose in mock surprise. "Oh... Are you  _proposing?"_  He teased, giggling as he fluttered his eyelashes and pressed his hand over his chest. He was glad the pilot couldn't hear the way his heart picked up, utterly enthralled by the idea.

 _"Ha._  You want me to?" Jake asked, winking at him with a cocky grin.

"Something tells me you're not quite ready for that, Top Gun." Taylor giggled, as he took the ring; allowing Jake to stand up, and take a step closer to him. He stood still, a soft smile on his face as he allowed the pilot to crowd closer against him, wrapping his arms around Taylor's waist. He gazed wordlessly into the pilots clear eyes, as Jake slowly leaned in and brought their lips together softly. Despite their setting and predicament, Taylor's heart raced against his ribs, a spark of desire flaring to life in his gut.

" **Vos tohk ri**!" A Vaanti warrior called, and Taylor gasped as Jake tore himself away from him, instantly alert as he glanced around.

"I think they heard us..." The pilot murmured quietly, his hand slipping into Taylors, and leading him carefully into thicker cover. "Time to move!" He whispered quickly, and together they raced through the shadows around the back of the pyramid. Taylors heart raced, disappointed to have had such a tender moment cut short, but pleased to have the ring clutched tightly in his free hand.

On the far side, they found the rest of the group waiting near the end of the bend. "... You two all right?" Lila asked, her eyes wide as they paused quickly to catch their breath.

"Let's get moving!" Taylor said quickly, gesturing for the group to keep going. As they hastened forward, the sound of distant drumming could be heard. He frowned, glancing at Jake as he grabbed his bag from Craig and tucked the ring into a deep, seal-able pocket on the inside. The path arrived at a steep cliff, as he swung his bag around to his side. He peeked over the edge, and far below, he saw dozens of Vaanti gathered around a central bonfire. Beside the fire, stood the shaman he'd noticed earlier. The old mans voice echoed across the area.

" **Khalarat vaantilar, anlakan vaalta..**." He called over the group, and after a moment of respectful silence, a pair of Vaanti brought Diego to the shaman. He felt his body tense, clutching at the ground beneath him to stop himself from launching towards his friend immediately. He felt Jake's hand squeeze his own tightly, and he curled into the pilots side, accepting the comfort he offered as he stared down at his dejected best friend.

" _There he is!_ " Craig whispered loudly, peering over the edge himself, only for Zahra to elbow him hard in the side as she glared at him furiously.  _"Shhh!"_

Furball briefly brushed against Taylors leg, then started towards a thicket of trees near the edge of the cliff. He paused, looking back with an expression Taylor could only assume translated to;  _what the hell are you still doing over there?_  He huffed a small sigh as Furball purred quietly, shifting as he crawled away from the edge of the cliff. "I think Furball wants me to go over there..." He said, gesturing to where the little blue fox was flicking his tail in evident impatience.

"Nice spot to scout the Vaanti from." Jake said approvingly, tugging at the collar of his camouflage gear with a meaningful wink. "Maybe get some idea what they're up to."

"Wouldn't they see Taylor, though?" Zahra asked in a hushed tone, frowning down at the Vaanti suspiciously.

"In the current apparel," Iris said quietly, her eyes flashing as she ran her calculations. "Taylor only has a four point two percent chance of being seen."

"Guess I better go do some spying then..." Taylor said with a faint grin, meeting Jake's gaze briefly as the pilot grimaced, torn over his obvious desire to go with him. "We've gotta find out what they're doing with Diego..." He said pleadingly, squeezing the pilots hand.

Jake sighed, nodding reluctantly, his hand reaching after Taylor as their fingers drifted free when Taylor slowly moves to follow Furball _. "You got this.._." Taylor heard the pilot murmur, and he turned with a confident grin he didn't entirely feel, before accompanying Furball toward the cliff.

He took a deep breath, and snuck his way along the edge of the precipice, trying hard to move as he believed Jake would have to stay hidden. He grinned, glancing down at the pilots camo outfit affectionately, as it seemed to conceal him within the dense brush. Down below, the shaman placed a bony hand in Diego's shoulder. "Look, I don't think that horcrux thing you want is here..." He heard Diego sigh in obvious frustration, and he bit his hand hard to keep from reacting to the sound of his best friends voice. He was swept away by a fresh wave of guilt, his eyes welling with stinging tears as he thought about the six months his best friend had been held prisoner.

 _He must feel so betrayed..._  Taylor thought, as he considered his recent behaviour, even on the journey to rescue Diego. He winced at the many times he'd allowed himself to be consumed by his desire for Jake, seeking comfort for the way he'd allowed his friend to be taken from his very grasp. _I can't fall apart now, this is all pointless if I don't pay attention._.. He thought, as he shook his head, his teeth digging deeply into the flesh of his hand as he forced his attention back to the conversation below him.

 **"Lok! Pashtak buala vaalta!** " The shaman demanded determinedly, causing Diego to growl and throw his arms up in exasperation.

"I'm not some sniffer dog that you can use to confiscate people's smokeables!" He cried, scowling at the withered, blue skinned man.

 **"Za? Un raa kosh-** " The shaman began, only for Diego to sigh and run a hand through his obviously irritating long hair.

"Yes, I know that analogy doesn't make any sense." Diego said dismissively, waving one hand slightly as he buried his face in the other. "Can we just try somewhere else or something?" He asked tiredly, as Varyyn approached them.

 **"Let him be. He needs a break.** " He said, his speech filtering through the strange link they'd formed in Taylor's mind. His brows rose in surprise, as the shaman's words also filtered through to him, as if Varyyn himself were some kind of translator.

 **"But we're so close!** " The shaman cried, his hands folded atop a walking staff as he beheld the younger Vaanti with wide red eyes. " **Can you not feel it?"**

" **Of course.** " Varyyn said in placation, his eyes darting to Diego, who glanced away with his cheeks flushed a faint shade of pink. Taylor balked, the reaction taking him by surprise as his eyes flitting between the two in uneasy suspicion.  **"But you cannot rush destiny."**  He said calmly, and Taylor narrowed his eyes, his heart pounding as a surge of anger filled him; recalling their fight in the ballroom where he'd refused to follow destiny's plans for them any longer. " **The idol will choose the right time to reveal itself. Is that not what you preached to us?"**

" **Oho...** " The shaman chuckled, curling his fingers into his long beard thoughtfully. " **Wise words, boy! So be it**." He said, as he gestured for Varyyn to take Diego toward an overgrown, ruined temple. The two of them climbed a set of steps, and disappeared into a shadowy doorway.

Taylor stared after them for a long minute, trying to decide which feeling was most dominant in his chest. He was relieved to have found his best friend, but the guilt of his capture ate at his heart. He jumped slightly, as Furball mewled, nudging him with a cold paw. "Come on, Furball." He said, his voice thick as he unclamped his jaw from his hand, leaving deep indentations of his own teeth in the flesh. Together, he and the little blue fox hurried to rejoin the rest of the group. He found Jake pacing at the edge of the trees, and as soon as he pushed into the clearing the pilot was beside him.

He met his concerned gaze hollowly, tucking his injured hand into his pocket in the hopes the pilot wouldn't see, as he glanced across at Rourke. "They have Diego pinned down in one of the temples..." He said vaguely, unwilling to reveal too much in front of the suited man. Jake followed his glance and seemed to understand his reluctance to speak too openly, he nodded thoughtfully, as Zahra beamed a wide grin at him.

"Nice work." She said, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she walked over and bumped his shoulder playfully. "Guess you're the  _real_  ninja here." She teased, as Estela clapped him on the other shoulder.

"You did well," she said, glancing to Rourke to show she also understood his reluctance to reveal too many details.

"This is our chance!" Jake said firmly, his eyes bright as he looked around the group with determination. "If we can get into that ruin, we've only got  _one_  Vaanti between us and Diego; and Boy Scout already handed him his ass once." He said, winking as he grinned at Taylor.

Despite the guilt he felt churning through him, Taylor couldn't help but blush at the pilots faith in him. However he shook his head, recalling the guards he'd seen. "There are still too many of them near the entrance..." He said tiredly, immediately tensing when Jake averted his eyes.

"We need a distraction." Sean suggested, and Taylor felt his heart hammer in his chest, overwhelmed with too many emotions and driving him headlong into a panic attack. "Someone to make some noise and then run... Leave it to me."

"Wait-" Taylor gasped, his hands burying themselves in his hair as he tried to keep his wits about him, his eyes blazing slightly as he darted quick looks around them all. His breaths came quickly, and he shook his head, trying to escape the tidal wave of emotions which crashed through him.

"Six hundred and thirty one yards." Craig said, grinning at his friend affectionately. "Tell 'em Sean." He encouraged, tipping his chin towards the athlete, unaware of Taylors inability to focus on anything but his own frantically beating heart

 _"Hey!"_  Jake's quiet but firm voice cut through his clamoring thoughts and fears, as Sean and Craig bantered about his ability to lead the distraction with references to their football games. "Breathe, Boy Scout, just  _breathe._  Look at me, breathe with me..." He said, taking Taylor's hands and pressing them to his chest, where his heart beat steadily beneath them. Taylor shook his head, his breath becoming a noisy train of gasps, as he lost himself to the tide of panic within. "Aw,  _hell..."_  Jake cursed, before cupping his face in his hands and forcing him to meet his clear eyes. " _Look at me_ , Taylor." He said quietly, and as soon met his gaze he leaned forward and captured his lips in a kiss. Taylor squirmed, already feeling guilty for the things he felt, but Jake held him tightly; refusing to allow him to escape, as he relentlessly stroked his tongue across Taylor's lips. Finally, Taylor caved to the sensation of the pilots lips against his own, his hands loosening over Jake's, as he at last returned the kiss. Jake seemed to deflate suddenly, his kiss turning soft, before he withdrew with a sigh. "Gotta say, Boy Scout, I'm  _more_  than ready to offer that cure all again, if ya need." The pilot huffed with a wink, though his gaze was concerned as he ran his eyes over him.

"What..?" Taylor asked dazedly, touching his swollen lips gently with his fingers. Jake frowned, looking at the still obvious bite mark on his hand, which Taylor hurriedly hid behind his back as he cleared his throat. "How'd you... Uh..." He asked, coughing awkwardly as he scratched his neck and flushed red.

"Figured the best way to stop a panic attack, would be to occupy your mind." The pilot said quietly, still frowning after Taylors hidden hand. "You forgot to breathe when I kissed ya," he added, winking as he regained his cocky grin, and Taylor huffed a dry chuckle despite his fragile state. "You okay?" Jake asked, his fingers gently brushing aside some of the hair which Taylor had disturbed when he'd latched his hands into his hair.

"Not really." Taylor admitted shakily, sighing as he closed his eyes. _Freaking out isn't going to help anything... There will be plenty of time for freaking out when we've saved Diego and got to... wherever we're going after that_. He thought firmly, shoving all of his emotions behind a large door in his mind and locking it tightly. "But I've got a hold of myself now... Thanks to  _you,_  Top Gun." He said, offering a weak smile as Sean and Craig high fived each other.

 _"Chyeeaaah!"_  Craig sniggered, and Taylor realized with heavy relief, that the pair had entirely missed his meltdown. "Sean's got this, Taylor." The jock said confidently, only for Jake to raise his hand, apparently having followed their conversation better than Taylor had.

"Hold on, Bob Costas." The pilot said, his eyes hardening as he glanced between them, recalling similar situations he'd been in. "I've watched enough of his games tk know he can dodge a linebacker. Thing is," he said, spreading his palms with a grimace. "It's a lot different when they' to take you down for good." The pilot stubbornly refused to look at Taylor, as if worried that by meeting his eyes he would set off another panic attack. "I've got experience with lure and destroy missions... I should be the one to distract the Vaanti."

For a long moment, Taylor was too distracted to focus on the pilots suggestion, his lips twitching in amusement as a huge grin slowly spread across Sean's face. "... You watched my games?" The athlete asked, his smirk growing when Jake's eyes widened in surprise, suddenly realising his confession.

"Hold on..." Taylor said, sniggering behind his hand as his eyes creased in amusement, his smile so wide it hurt his cheeks.  _"Jake,_  are you a Sean Gayle  _fan?"_  He asked, giggling when the pilot scowled at him.

"What?  _No!"_  He denied vehemently, his scowl morphing into a pout as Taylor grinned at him adoringly. "I just... I gamble on sports now and then.  _That's all!_ " He said forcefully. He scowled around the entire group as they all sniggered, clearing his throat loudly. "Point is, it oughtta be  _me."_  He said firmly, effectively clearing the air of amusement.

Rourke leaned against a tree, his head in his hands as he shook it in bafflement. "It's like travelling with a bunch of infantile idiots..." He murmured to himself, as Taylor stepped away from Jake, shaking his head vehemently.

"No." Taylor said, closing his eyes as he felt the door which held his overwhelming emotions at bay, begin to rattle ominously.

"Boy Scout-"

 _"No,_  see, 'cause  _I_  need to keep everyone together; keep them all safe so I don't lose anyone else." He rambled, ignoring Jake as he paced back and forth by the edge of the clearing.

"Taylor-"

"See, if  _you_  do this  _you_  might get caught, and that'll be my fault too, because _I_  wouldn't have stopped you; just like _I_  didn't stop Diego when he let go..." He muttered, twisting one hand into his hair as he tugged it sharply.

_"Taylor-!"_

"What if _I_  lead them away, and  _you_  save Diego and then we all meet up with the others, who I  _hope_  haven't been caught... Because that would be bad..."

"Ah, his minds finally broken it would seem. Pity, I had high hopes for him-"

"Shut up, Phony Stark! Godammit, Taylor,  _look at me!_ " Jake demanded, stepping into Taylor's path and grabbing his shoulders, forcing him to look up and meet his determined gaze. "We  _don't_  have time for this."

Taylor swallowed thickly, looking down at his feet as he suddenly deflated, feeling as if he were somehow entirely too small for the universe. "I  _hate_  this plan." He said weakly, as Jake hesitantly wrapped his arms around his shoulders, resting his chin atop Taylors head as he chuckled dryly.

"Never woulda guessed." He quipped, earning a sharp poke to his abs, as Taylor rested his forehead to his chest and sighed heavily.

 _"Please..._  Be safe." Taylor pleaded, and Jake chuckled as he drew back and pressed a small kiss to his forehead.

"For you?" The pilot asked, grinning broadly as he winked.  _"Always."_  Taylor groaned, rolling his eyes as he turned towards the others with a dejected sigh.

"Jake will distract them." He said tiredly, his dull eyes meeting Sean's concerned gaze. "Sean, you're with me." He said, trying to inject some life into himself as he gathered his strength. He thought of Diego, and pushed himself to stand straight, forcing himself to concentrate.

"Ladies and gentlemen... And Boy Scouts," he said as he winked at Taylor, who snorted in amusement despite his state, as the pilot gave a flourishing bow. "The show's about to begin!" He said with a confident smirk.

"Well, I'm not gonna miss this." Zahra said with a grin, flicking her penknife open and closed, before shoving it in her pocket. "I'm in."

"Heck yeah!" Craig cheered, pounding his fist into his opposing palm.

"You guys sure?" Jake asked, his eyes widening, not having expected to have company. "We might not be comin' back..."

Taylor gave a distinctly distressed noise, his eyes snapping to the pilot accusingly. "This does  _not_  give me faith in your promise to be  _safe!"_  He said fiercely, scowling at the pilot as he rubbed the back of his neck guiltily.

"You should accompany them, Lila." Rourke said, pushing away from the tree with a sigh, distracting Taylor from glaring at his pilot.

 _"Me?"_  Lila squeaked, her eyes wide as she looked over at Rourke in blatant surprise.

"Yes." The suited man said, waving her away dismissively as he eyed Taylor with a calculating gleam in his eye. "This is what I need you for, at present." As soon as he finished speaking, Lila walked almost robotically over to join the distraction team.

Jake tugged his jacket around his neck with determination, as Taylor shook his head and looked at the floor, hiding the frustrated tears which stung at his eyes. "One last thing..." He heard, before his chin was tilted up and his lips claimed in a hard and demanding kiss. He clutched at Jake's jacket, desperately pouring his every affection for the pilot into the kiss, before Jake pulled away just as suddenly as he'd surges towards him. "Stay alive for me, I'll stay alive for you." The pilot offered quietly, and Taylor rapidly nodded his head, as Jake backed away from him.

Jake grinned, saluting him with a wink, before he turned and gathered Zahra, Craig and Lila together behind him. He strode purposefully down the path toward the canyon floor. Taylor watched with a racing heart, as angry shouts and ululation's of warning erupted from the gathered Vaanti, as the pilots group arrived at the bottom of the cliff. As Jake led the others into a sprint away from the temple, the entire group gave chase. "Nows our opportunity..." Taylor said thickly, tearing his eyes from the tiny figure in the distance that was his pilot, and gesturing for Sean, Estela and Rourke to follow him. "To the ruin!" He said, leading the way carefully down the ravine towards the overgrown structure.

"Iris, run a scan of that building." Rourke said, only for Iris to ignore him entirely, floating a short distance away. "Iris?!" He growled, glaring at her blue hologram with obvious irritation.

"Iris,  _please_... We don't have much time..." Taylor pleaded, refusing to allow his eyes to dart over to where the pilots group had disappeared to.

"Scanning..." Iris replied immediately, her eyes flashing as she worked quickly. "Only the two individuals seen entering are detected inside, Taylor..." She said warmly.

 _"Thankyou,_  Iris." Taylor said, as he hopped over a small broken wall, and crept toward the entrance, his camo gear blending with the shadows around him.

"Good help is  _so_  hard to find these days," Rourke sighed, following at a much more casual pace, as he eyed Iris speculatively. "But with the right algorithms, you can certainly manufacture it." He said with a titter at his own private joke. Iris frowned at him, and hovered on the far side of Taylor, as if trying to keep someone between herself and her master.

Taylor swallowed heavily, his heart racing with fear and hope in equal measure, as he steeled his nerves and ducked through the entrance to the ruin. Inside, moonlight filtered through gaps in the crumbling walls, to reveal what appeared to be a temple alter. Diego and Varyyn stood close together, in the center of the room. " _We should stay back and observe, before making our move._ " Rourke murmured quietly, sending a shiver of disgust down Taylor's spine at his far too close proximity.

Estela quickly ushered Taylor behind a pillar, and the others hastily followed her example and took up hiding places. "I am  _sorry..._  For the way you were treated." Taylor covered his hand to mask his gasp, hearing the words fall from Varyyn's lips without the mental translation. He peeked around the pillar he was hidden behind, his heart clenching at the obviously tender expression on the Vaanti's face, as he looked down at Diego.

"Why are these idols so important, anyway?" Diego asked, ignoring the Vaanti's comment as he toyed idly with the alter beside him.

"Uqzhaal believes they will bring about Raan'losti, a time of great chains." Varyyn explains gently, his eyes locked onto Diego as he giggled.

"Um... I think you mean 'change'." He sniggered, as Varyyn tilted his head at him in confusion.

"Yes." The Vaanti agreed, "chains." He repeated, frowning as Diego laughed harder.

"No, it's -"

" _Chuh-ayn-juh.._." The Vaanti sounded out, his expression serious, though his eyes lit with mirth when Diego made a visible effort to control his giggling. "Is this right?"

"Better." Diego grinned widely, and Taylor felt his brow crease at the genuine affection in his friends gaze. His hands curled tightly against the pillar he hid behind, his heart, at the light banter between his best friend; and the man who had killed the love of his life before his very eyes, and even himself. He shook his head, trying to clear the unsettling sensation of betrayal that prickles in his gut. He took a deep breath, as he heard Diego chuckle, and reluctantly looked back toward the two.

As they resumed their search, Diego struggled to keep his long hair out of his face. "Ugh..." He hears hjs friend mutter, and couldn't help but grin weakly at his grumblings. "This look really only works on Milo Ventimiglia." He sighed, giving up as he shook his head in disgust.

"Here." Varyyn offered, walking over and tugging Diego to his feet. "I will help." He said softly, raising his hands and gently braiding a section of Diego's hair, near the crown of his head. Taylor felt a curl of sadness in his gut, the moment seeming far more tender and intimate than he had a right to be observing.

"Oh, nice..." Diego breathed, beaming a wide grin at the Vaanti as he lightly traced the braid with his fingers. "Thanks!" As Diego turned around again, Varyyn's hand came to rest on his shoulder.

"Of course." Varyyn said quietly, and the two remained still for a long pause, neither acknowledging the Vaanti's hand firmly planted on Diego's shoulder. "I uh, guess... We should keep looking?" Diego asked at last, glancing back at Varyyn with a torn expression.

"Hm?" Varyyn hummed, before gasping and yanking his hand free, his eyes wide as he nodded quickly. "Oh.  _Yes."_  Diego began to smile, but froze mid-motion, his eyes widening.

"Something's... In the wall." He said, reaching into an unassuming notch in the temple wall, and pulling out a familiar small statue; made of gleaming amber.

"You... You  _found_  it!" Varyyn gasped, his eyes wide as he gazed between Diego and the statue.

" _We should act now, before the others arrive_..." Estela muttered, her hands tight on her spear. Taylor nodded, his throat tight as he tried to get a hold of himself. Estela nodded slowly, and then in a flash, she hurled her spear at Varyyn. The blunt wooden shaft, collided solidly with the Vaanti's head, and he slumped to the ground.

 _"Varyyn!"_  Diego cried, and Taylor winced at the concern in his friends tone as he rushed to the fallen Vaanti's side. He stepped out from behind his hiding spot, and Diego froze, as his eyes slowly rose to his face.

"Diego..." Taylor said, his throat thick with emotion. "Are you... alright?" He asked, wincing as he scratched his ear awkwardly, his eavesdropping obvious.

"...Taylor?" Diego said slowly, pushing to his feet as he stared at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. "It really  _is_  you..." He gasped, hopping over Varyyn to throw his arms around Taylor in a desperate hug. "I  _knew_  you wouldn't forget about me!" He mumbled into Taylor's camo gear, as Taylor raised his arms and embraced his friend tightly, allowing his fears for his friend to melt away until another time.

"You're an idiot..." He muttered, and Diego laughed hysterically as he drew back, to look him over. Taylor raised a brow, tugging at a strand of hair from his friends beard with a lopsided grin, causing Diego to snigger as he rubbed his jaw. He was about to respond, when he noticed the others over Taylors shoulder.

"Wait." Diego demanded, shoving himself away from Taylor with a scowl. "What the hell is  _he_  doing here?" He said, stepping further away as he glared at Rourke, who smugly offered him a handshake.

"Everett Aleister Rourke the First." Rourke said, introducing himself in the most irritating way Taylor thought possible. "It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Diego."

"I knew it..." Diego sighed, shaking his head as he ran a hand through his hair, unwittingly undoing Varyyn's braid. "None of you are really here. This is just a dream, inside of a dream..." He murmured, snorting as he wrapped his arms around himself. "I bet the van's going off the bridge  _right now._ "

"Diego, this is  _real."_  Taylor said, tightening his grip on his bag as he stepped up to his friend. "This is real, and Rourke is just about to go night night." He said warmly, grinning as Rourke raised a brow at him, before slamming his bag into the back of the mans head. Rourke gasped, and crumpled to the floor. "Oh my  _god,_  you can  _not_  understand how long I have been  _itching_  to do that..." Taylor sighed, smiling at his friend as he stared at him with wide eyes.  _"What,_  you think I trust Everett Rourke to do  _anything_  out of the goodness of his heart?" He snorted, as Estela giggled behind him.

 _"Smart,"_  she said, tipping her head to him as she leaned against the wall. "Very smart."

"Uh, Taylor... Are you sure-" Sean began, but Taylor shook his head at the athlete before he'd even finished.

"Rourke was just using us. He wanted us to find the idols for him, to collect them all he needed..." Taylor trailed off, gesturing towards Diego with a small grin.

 _"Me..."_  He murmured, glancing down at the idol he'd found, which was still by Varyyn's side. He looked up at Taylor, clearly trying to wrap his head around the idea. "Uh, so...  _Ahem,_  where are the others?" He asked suddenly, his attempt to change the subject obvious. Taylor's grin faltered, and he looked away, as Sean stepped up and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Some led the Vaanti guards away, while the others are keeping a lookout..." Sean explained, his eyes darting to Taylor worriedly. "Jake's leading the distraction." He added quietly, as Taylor flinched.

"They're okay..." Diego breathed, slumping against the alter in relief, beaming a wide grin at them. "Everyone's okay!" He repeated, before catching sight if Taylors expression. "Taylor-"

"Diego, I'm so sorry." Taylor burst out, desperate to change the subject, even by confessing his own guilt. "I'm so,  _so_  sorry... I should have held on tighter.  _Hell,_  I should have  _known!_  I'm so sorry it we couldn't get here sooner..." He said in a rush, hanging his head in shame. He heard Diego call his name, but his eyes landed on Varyyn, and when he peeked up again; it was with a question burning on the too of his tongue. "So, are you and Varyyn... A  _thing,_  now?" He asked stiffly, trying to ignore the way his heart clenched painfully at the thought.

 _"Him..."_  Diego asked, his eyes wide as he looked down at Varyyn, and then back up at Taylor. "...and  _me?"_  Diego asked, shaking his head as if the idea was ridiculous; though Taylor noticed with a sinking heart, that his friends cheeks were dusted a fine pink beneath his beard. "I mean, the guy's easy on the eyes, but..." He snorted, brushing the idea aside as be grinned at his friend, deflecting him with humour. "Don't tell me you spent the last six months reading Aladdin and the Genie fanfiction!" He snorted, though his wide smile faded when Taylor merely averted his gaze instead of answering. "Uh... Where have you been, anyway?" Diego asked gently, and Taylor swallowed heavily as he shook his head and forcibly shoved aside everything he felt, but didn't want to deal with yet.

"The portal gun sent us forward in time." He explained, looking back to Diego with a sad smile. "We reappeared three days ago..." He said quietly, watching as Diego's jaw dropped, his eyes wide as he looked to the others for confirmation.

"Great Scott!" He breathed, as he glanced down at the slumbering Rourke. "And that guy..?"

"Was asleep, like a baby in green gunk. Hidden in his office." Taylor said, shivering as he almost recalled the memory of seeing Rourke naked. "Please don't ask, I don't wanna remember..."

"Taylor saw Rourke naked." Estela giggled, as Taylor growled at her in outrage. "I admit, it wasn't exactly pretty..." She said, as Diego laughed at Taylors distraught expression. They all froze suddenly, as in the distance, a whistled melody could be heard echoing across the canyon.

"That's Aleister's signal." Taylor said seriously, as Estela leapt forward and grabbed her spear, immediately springing to the doorway to guard against possible attack.

"You've got to get out of here!" Diego cried, waving his hands frantically as Taylor looked back at him with a hard glare.

"We came to rescue you, Diego. I'm  _not_  leaving without you." Taylor growled, as Diego shook his head desperately.

"If they come back and I'm  _gone,_  they'll hunt you down! If I  _stay..."_  He said, his shoulders drooping as he sighed and looked at Taylor pleadingly. "Then they'll never know you were here." Taylor shook his head, as Diego continued to talk, already knowing he wasn't about to leave him behind twice. "The idols are all they care about... It's why they came for us." He explained weakly.

"Diego, I  _don't care_. I'm  _not_  losing you again." Taylor ground out firmly, his tough expression broke however, as he met Diego's eyes with desperation.  _"Please,_  Diego... I need you. You're the only best friend I have..." He said, ignoring Estela as she sighed dramatically at his plea.

Diego stared at him wide eyed for a moment, before he finally broke out in a smug grin.  _"Heh._  Tell me somethin' I  _don't_  know." He grinned.

"Taylor and Jake fucked at the lake on the way here." Estela called back over her shoulder, as Taylor choked and felt himself flame a deep shade of red. Diego laughed so hard he fell against the alter, choking as he gasped for breath. "What?" Estela asked, her brow raised as Sean shook his head at her, hiding a grin.

"It's not a literal thing, Estela... Just a saying..." The athlete explained, as Taylor tried to find some shred of dignity still in tact.

"Oh,  _god!"_  Diego gasped, wiping tears from his eyes as he pushed himself straight. "I missed you guys. The Vaanti aren't so great conversationally, but that kinda humour would just..." He gasped, waving a hand over his head as he caught sight of Taylor's still flushed face and began giggling anew.

His mirth was cut short however, as they heard footsteps from the stairs outside. "Diego, throw your idol in here, quick!" Taylor said, his embarrassment forgotten as Diego hurried to do as he was bid, grabbing the amber idol grin the floor and tossing it in Taylors bag. A moment later, a large group of Vaanti filed in.

The shaman gasped, his eyes wide as he looked around them with awe. "You have found not the idol, but more Catalysts!" He cried, beaming a grin towards Diego.

"Wait a minute, suddenly  _all_  of you guys speak English?" Sean asked dubiously, folding his arms over his chest imperiously.

The shaman hobbled merrily toward Diego, his entire crippled form seeming to vibrate with vitailty, as he clapped him on the shoulder warmly. "Come now,  _Canis."_  He said, attempting to lead Diego away.

"Hold on," Diego said, slipping from the mans grasp. "You have to  _promise_  that you won't hurt my friends." He demanded, scowling at the Vaanti firmly.

"Hurt them?  _Bah!_  Of course not!" The shaman scoffed, gesturing around the room. "You and your friends, are the key to our peoples future!" He said, as Taylor felt irritation prickle along his skin.

"Hey, Blue Genie." He growled, channeling his pilot as he glared at the Vaanti shaman, who turned towards him in surprise. Taylor grimaced, as he tightened his hands on his bag again. "His  _name,_  is Diego." He growled, before swinging his bag hard into the back of the nearest Vaanti warriors head.

Instantly, the room was a flurry of activity. Estela launched into a barrage of fierce defensive maneuvers with her spear, focusing on the two Vaanti nearest her, as Sean tackled another to the ground. Taylor immediately launched himself into a furious flurry of attacks, as he'd learnt to when training with Jake at the beach. He attacked hard and fast, never relenting as the Vaanti floundered beneath his fury. Between the threw of them, they managed to dispatch the warriors quickly, all breathing heavily by the time they were done.

"Guys..." Diego gasped, his eyes wide as he stared at them all. "That was...  _Awesome!"_  He squealed, jumping into the air excitedly as he beamed a huge grin at them.

Taylor hrinned fondly, panting heavily as the shaman stepped back, clearly knowing he was beaten. "C'mon, Diego... Lets go." He said, turning to leave.

 _"Hrrgh!"_  He spun around quickly, as Sean gasped, and slumped to the floor. He looked up in time to see Rourke kick a ceremonial brazier over, causing flames to lick upward along an overgrown wall. He pulled out a small knife, with two entwined snakes for a handle from his belt, and rushed toward Diego; grabbing him and holding him hostage with the sharp blade to his throat.

 _"Diego!"_  Taylor cried, jumping through the rising wall of flames without a thought. He landed just before them both, his knees scraping against the hard stone, as he glared up at Rourke hatefully.

"My, my, my..." Rourke said, gleefully eyeing Taylor as he raised his hands in reluctant surrender. "You really are  _full_  of surprises, aren't you,  _Taylor?"_  He drawled, his hair dishevelled from it's usual immaculate style from where Taylor had hit him with the idols. "And here I thought you were finally warming up to me." The man chuckled, tightening his grip on Diego's collar, as he sneered at Taylor.

"Don't hurt him," Taylor said quietly, slowly pushing to his feet, though he made no move towards the man. He glanced at Diego, whose warm hazel eyes were wide with fear.  _"Please..._  just, let him go..."

"I'll be having that idol now." Rourke sneered, shaking Diego so he held out his hand for Taylor to give the idol back. Taylor hesitated, before reluctantly opening his bag, knowing that to hand it to Diego would mean having to view the memories locked within it. He glanced to the side, noticing Varyyn's eyes flutter open as the fire spread. He pushed himself from the floor to see Rourke holding Diego hostage, and he gasped as he surged forward.

 _"No!"_  He cried, and Taylor felt something soften in him slightly, at the genuine concern the Vaanti showed for his friend.

"Varyyn," he said, raising his eyes to Rourke as he slowly drew Diego's idol from his bag. "Get your people out." He said, gesturing behind him to where Estela was trying to move bodies away from the encroaching flames, beginning with Sean. Varyyn glanced from Diego to Taylor, his eyes wide as he tried to male sense of the situation. "Varyyn,  _now!"_  Taylor snapped, his eyes locked onto Rourke's smugly grinning face. "Rourke here doesn't hesitate to cut loose ends." He said, gesturing to the knife at Diego's throat. Varyyn hesitated a second longer before doing as Taylor bid, helping Estela to move the prone bodies of the Vaanti they'd knocked out, clearing a path out of the burning temple.

"The Hydra cannot be allowed to leave with the idol!" The shaman called, and Taylor felt the sudden realisation hit him. It isn't the idols themselves he needs... He thought, glancing down at the idol in his hand as he slipped his bag over his shoulder, gently setting it on the floor. It's what they unlock! He doesn't need them at all; he just needs...

"Rourke, the idols aren't what you think." Taylor said slowly, holding it out willingly. "You can take it if you really want, but you won't be able to use them." He added, taking a small step closer.

"Oh, and what make's you say that?" Rourke sneered, though his eyes were sharp as they pinned him with a calculating look.

"Because they're just a map... To find something,  _bigger..."_  Taylor said, his heart racing as he felt the words escape him without any effort to find them. He felt them resonate within his chest, and he took another step closer as he met Rourke's eyes calmly. "You  _know_  that, don't you? You can bypass everything; skip the idols, and grab the real prize right away..."

"You have your way out and the idol, Hydra! Now let him go!" Varyyn cried from the far side of the room, watching with desperation as Diego stared at Taylor with mounting concern.

"Ah, yes and I must remember to take what belongs to me..." Rourke mused thoughtfully, glancing over to where Iris hovered uncertainly. "Iris, activate Directive nineteen oh eight." He ordered smugly, watching as Taylor winced with obvious interest.

"Activating!" Iris called, her eyes wide as she followed the order. "Loading previous command set... Memory reboot in three, two, one..." Iris gasped as she glanced around, her eyes flashing with the race of input which flooded her system. "I... Where is Aleister? Is he safe?"

 _"Rourke!"_  Estela cried in an animalistic snarl, poised high on a pillar as she coiled her arm backward to launch her spear at Rourke's head. " _Say hello to oblivion_!"

With startling speed, Iris's drone flew towards Estela, flashing a bright light in her eyes. The spear arced wide of Rourke and became lodges in the wall, inches from his head. "So  _close,_  Estela!" Rourke sniggered cheerfully, grinning broadly at her. "Come, Iris."

Iris's drone began to hover towards the suited man, before stopping suddenly. Her blue hologram flickered, re-configuring herself to look over at Taylor sadly. "I must go now, Taylor..." She said forlornly,her eyes on the floor.

"Iris, you've got to  _fight_  it... Hear me? Fight him!" Taylor said in a fierce whisper. "Have  _faith,_  Iris, I  _know_  you can do it!"

Iris looked up at him, visibly brightening at the encouragement. "That course of action is logical, yes." She said warmly, though her eyes flashed sadly as her hologram flickered. "However, I'm afraid Directive nineteen oh eight cannot be overridden at this time..."

 _"Rourke!"_  Taylor roared, snarling at the suited man as he pressed the blade of his knife dangerously close to Diego's throat. "Stop it! Let them all go!" Taylor pleaded, his expression desperate as Rourke eyed him in critical analysis. "You don't need them! I'll give you what you want!"

"Taylor, I see that look in your eyes, man, what are you  _doing?"_  Diego whispered desperately, and though Taylor flicked his gaze towards him, he did not respond to his friend.

"Rourke, I'll give you... what you want..." Taylor promised, his heart clenching as Diego stared at him fearfully, and Rourke's eyes glimmered with sudden understanding. "I'll go with you. I won't fight. I'll do what you say..." Taylor promised quietly, his eyes never leaving Rourke.

After a moment of consideration, Rourke slowly lowered the blade, pushing Diego towards Taylor with a calculating gleam in his eye. Diego fell toward Taylor with wide eyes, and Taylor looked to the ceiling, catching his friend as he collided with his idol. The moment it touched his skin, Taylor was whisked through a field of white nothingness.

When it finally stopped, he found himself back in the observatory. Varyyn was lying on a lab table, his arms and legs pinned down by mechanical restraints. He saw Diego at a nearby workstation, frantically typing at one of the keyboards to no avail. "Ugh! Why isn't this working?!" He demanded, slamming his fists against the work surface before storming across the room, pacing frantically as he tugged at his long hair.

"I'm sorry, Diego. I can't let you do that." Iris said, her mechanical voice causing Diego to whirl around. Her blue face was expressionless, her smile not meeting her eyes.

"Iris?" Diego cried, moving back towards Varyyn. He glanced at the Vaanti, stepping in between him and the hologram, as her expression morphed to a cold scowl.

"Defense sequence initiated." She snarled, glaring at Diego as her drone covered above her, the unmistakable sound of weapons loading echoing through the room. "Those present are advised to vacate immediately."

A series of panels slid open near the ceiling, and Diego looked up to see robotic arms connected to giant machine guns, emerging from the wall. "Iris! What are you  _doing?!"_  Diego cried, unconsciously stepping closer to Varyyn as he reached for his hand. "I've got to get him out of here!"

"Negative." Iris said, scowling at Diego coldly. "This specimen will remain in custody for the duration of the procedure." She said forcefully, her sharp eyes darting between Diego and Varyyn suspiciously. "Final warning. Those left behind will not be spared."

 _"Iris!"_  Diego cried furiously, trying to break through to the A.I. " _Listen to me!_  I'm your  _friend,_  Iris!" He pleaded, his eyes turning sad as he stared at her and shook his head in disbelief. "Are you going to just shoot me down... like Aleister?"

Iris hesitated a moment, her eyes flashing almost warmly before the coldness overtook them again. "Input is invalid." The hologram droned emotionlessly. "Aleister will be returned to life, once the procedure is complete."

"Diego,  _go!"_  Varyyn cried, struggling desperately as he tried to free himself from his restraints. His eyes darted from Diego to the door, pleasing that the olive skinned boy leave. "Your whole  _life_  is ahead of you... Go and live it!" Varyyn begged, but Diego merely shook his head sadly.

"I tried that." He said quietly, stepping up beside Varyyn and peering down at him gently.  _"Before."_  He said, swallowing thickly as he reached forward to tentatively trace his finger along Varyyn's jaw. "Life means  _nothing..._  without people to care about." He said, as he leaned down and pressed his lips to Varyyn's softly.

"Deploying weapons." Iris snarled coldly, and Taylor desperately wished he could scream, as the guns opened fire. Diego and Varyyn spasmed helplessly, as they were struck by a hail of bullets.

Taylor gasped, his eyes streaming with tears as he stared blankly at the ceiling of the burning temple. He swallowed heavily, slowly lowering his gaze to his best friend. "You okay?" He asked, his voice thick from the overwhelming emotion induced by the awful, heart wrenching vision.

 _"No!"_  Diego cried vehemently, shaking his head as he grabbed Taylor by his jacket collar. "No part of me is okay with  _any_  of this, right now!" He said, and Taylor couldn't help but smile as he patted his friend on the head.

"But you  _will be_ , at least." Taylor hummed appreciatively, ruffling Diego's long hair, as he sighed and looked over at the impatiently waiting Rourke. "Diego, I need you to do me a favour..." He said quickly, as he gently pushed his friend away from him.

"How about  _you_  do  _me_  a favour, and not go with Mr. Psycopath?" Diego asked hopefully, wringing his hands together,until Taylor gently pressed his idol into his hands.

"The other idols are in my bag..." He said quietly, gesturing to his bag on the floor, where his rope was spilling haphazardly across the floor.

"Well now,  _that_  looks rather useful." Rourke chuckled thoughtfully, glancing at Diego as he reached over and pressed his knife tauntingly to Taylor's shoulder. "Mr. Soto, if you would be so  _kind_  as to bind your friend as you say your heartfelt goodbyes? And please,  _do_  be quick about it." He said, as Diego scowled at him, but dropped to gather the rope as he'd been ordered.

"Diego  _please,_  just keep them safe. Don't..." He sighed, as he turned and held his hands out for Diego to bind, his palms flat together behind his back. "Diego, don't let the Vaanti get them..." He pleaded, noticing Diego pause in his motion of binding his wrists, before quickly continuing again, squeezing his fingers to show he'd heard. "Also-"

"Dude, you are  _really_  pushing this while final request thing." Diego said with a scowl, as he tied the final knot in his bindings and gave the rope end to Rourke with an irritated glare.

"Last one, I promise..." Taylor said, his heart clenching as he licked his lips and tried to fight against Rourke, as the man tugged at his bindings experimentally. "Tell Jake; I'm sorry!" He begged, as Rourke tugged harder a the rope, leading him away with a stumble. He squirmed, as Diego moved to reach for him, but Varyyn raced over, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and barely drawing him out of the path of some falling debris from the collapsing ceiling.  _"Diego!"_  Taylor called desperately, as a haze of smoke and dust walled off his line of sight.  _"Diego!"_  He tried again, as Rourke pulled him quickly towards the temples entrance. He scowled, turning to move easier as he glanced back and felt along the bond he shared with the Vaanti.  ** _Keep him safe, Varyyn, or so help me... The Hydra will be the least of your peoples damn worries!_  **He thought harshly, struggling as Rourke pulled him out through the entrance, hastily tugging him close.

"If you don't start cooperating Taylor, I won't hesitate to erase  _all_  your little friends from their miserable planes of existence!" The suited man snarled and Taylor grimaced, but ultimately lowered his gaze, conceding his obedience. "Good boy, now, get moving." Rourke demanded, shoving Taylor into motion as he set off at a rapid sprint away from the temple, back up over the ridge they'd previously descended. Taylor ran awkwardly alongside him, his heart in a permanent flux between relieved he could save his friends, and devastated to be leaving them behind to fates uncertain. He dug his feet into the ground suddenly however, pulling desperately against the bindings around his wrists, as the upper structure groaned and completely gave out behind them.

 _"No!"_  He cried desperately, tugging uselessly at the rope, as Rourke growled and presses the knife to his side.

"I said,  _move!"_  He snarled, as Iris quickly floated over, her eyes flashing as she settled herself beside Taylor.

"Scans show there were no casualties, everyone escaped before the collapse of the construct." She said quickly, and Taylor swallowed heavily, as he saw a small group gathering at the base of the ruins. His heart raced, recognizing a familiar splash of green. His eyes watered, as he strained against Rourke; fighting to keep his position as the man tried to tug him away from the edge, remaining locked onto the blur of colour as he drew in a deep breath.

 _"Jake!"_  He cried, stumbling as Rourke gave a particularly harsh pull on the rope. He fell to his knees, growling as he fought against Rourke, when he suddenly felt a vicious tug at his mind. Pain swept through him, as a memory flashed vividly across his eyes, and he gasped as it left just as quickly. "Iris!" He called, his face a grimly determined scowl, as he forced himself to his feet. He glanced at the group racing toward the ridge, Vaanti and friend combined, a green blur at the lead. Summoning every ounce of strength he could, he turned to face Rourke as Iris hovered over to him, her hologram expressing her concern as he dug his feet into the ground and pulled against Rourke's insistent tugging.

"Iris," he panted, glancing at the blue woman desperately as sweat poured down his brow. "Activate Directive  _Twelve!"_  He barked, and instantly, Iris emitted a bright flash of blinding light, causing Rourke to release his grip on the rope as he covered his eyes with a curse. Taylor looked behind him, as he stepped up to the precipice, counting in his head before looking back at Rourke with a wink, as he stepped off the edge of the cliff.


	4. Island Justice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just gonna go ahead and say it; this chapter has kicked my ass a thousand times over  
> Every time I thought I was getting somewhere some other scene popped up and then finally I thought I was done - and Jake and Taylor decided to have a MOMENT or some shit and I was just like, ffs dudes... ffs.
> 
> Anyway; its here now and I have it to give to you! I hope you enjoy it and its not a long ass garble of junk... Thankyou so much for all your encouragement and comments lately, they've been amazing! Thankyou for reading!
> 
> x My love to you all x

_**Dear Jake;** _

_I don't think you've ever quite forgiven me for that whole... **thing.**  You know, with the cliff and... after. But to be fair, it was kind of win win. I mean; Rourke didn't get what he was after, I got to see the look of surprise and raw devastation on his face as he realized he lost... And at worst case scenario, I would have just woken up, back on the plane..._

_And you wouldn't have remembered a damn thing._

_But; the gamble paid off. You were there to save me, like you always were... Although, I expect it's probably a good thing you weren't aware it wasn't actually an accident_.

 **4**.

**Island Justice.**

Taylor smiled. Bombarded by images and feelings inspired by his pilot, he gathered them around himself like a warm and protective blanket. Time seemed to slow around him, and he sighed as he floated casually through his memories of Jake, savouring each and every one. He felt a steady pulse, radiating from within his chest, and he sighed as he found himself enveloped in warmth. A white haze surrounded him, as he stared up at the sky, counting the stars as if they were a painting of his lost memories; until they too, were swallowed by the white blankness around him.

After several moments of lying still in the emptiness, he frowned, and pushing himself to his elbows. He looked around with a raised brow, dubiously searching for any kind of clue as to where he might be. He got to his knees, crouching warily, before slowly rising to his feet.

 _Okay... This, is..._  He thought, puffing his cheeks out as he huffed a deep sigh, scratching the back of his head nervously.  _Yep, creepy. Definitely gonna go with creepy as fu_ \- He broke off suddenly, turning at the sound of slow, heavy footsteps. His eyes widened, as he slowly dropped his hand to his side, a sense of trepidation build within his gut, a hollowness in his chest.  _"You..._  You were..." He said, his voice brittle as he glanced around quickly, half expecting Mount Apropo's strangely sentient magma to suddenly rise up and engulf him.

"You're perfectly safe here." The approaching figure called, as they came to a halt. Taylor found it difficult to judge the distance between them, his eyes aching as he squinted against the bright white that surrounded them. In one moment it seemed the figure was only mere steps away, but with another glance, they seemed almost an entire valley away. "Although, how you came to  _be_  here, is another matter entirely."

"What  _is_  this..?" Taylor asked, his hand raised before his eyes to try and shade them from the bright reflection, of the red spaceman's visor. "Who are you? Where are we? What...  _happened..?"_  He demanded haltingly, looking up as if expecting the stars to have reappeared somehow above him.

"You seem to have a penchant for doing things, which you aren't supposed to do and for going places, you aren't meant to go..." The mechanical suit's rasping voice replied, and Taylor took a step back, able to sense their heavy disapproval in the air around him. He frowned, turning around to walk away, only to find himself facing the red spacesuit once more. "You... Break the rules."

"What are you..?" Taylor began, trailing off as he heard the faint hum of an engine.  _That sounds like_... He thought, his eyes widening as he looked away from the spaceman, and saw a small window hanging amid the whiteness. "I..." He shook his head, stepping closer to the strange window to find himself looking in at his best friends sad expression, his eyes closing as he leaned his head against the  _window. "Diego!"_  He called, trying to hammer on the window, only for his hand to pass straight through.

"You've caused an anomaly." The spaceman said, his perplexed tone of voice speaking loudly of his unadulterated confusion and awe. "You...  _are,_  an anomaly." They continued to rasp, as Taylor continued to ignore them, instead frowning at how his hand seemed to go straight through the strange mid-air window.

He walked around the strange window, and gasped to find himself facing; himself. He stepped closer, looking to where Diego sat in the actual window seat, his eyes closed as he leaned against the glass.  _This is the flight in.._. He thought with sudden clarity.  _Huh, that sneak... Guess I wasn't the only one sleeping on the flight_! He sniggered, thinking of how Jake had been sleeping on the plane as well; and he'd been the one flying it. "Oh my god...  _Jake!"_  He cried, spinning around desperately as if expecting the pilot to have materialized from somewhere amid the white blankness around him. "I need to get back!" He yelled, stepping back around the strange window to meet his reflection, on the red spaceman's visor.

"That cycle is over," the spaceman informed him, a vague sense of sadness emanating from him which Taylor recoiled from. "You should already have begun anew."

 _"No!"_  Taylor roared, scowling at the spaceman in irritation, "If I get a damn choice about all this, then I damn well choose to go  _back!"_  He spat, running his hands through his hair and cupping the back of his neck, as he drew in a deep breath and thought quickly.

"You do not get a choice." The spaceman said, his large red helmet shaking slowly from left to right. "The time loop resets upon one of two conditions; the placement of hollow idols, or your own death."

"But I didn't die!" Taylor protested, pointing at the spaceman in irritation. "Put me  _back."_  He demanded, glaring at the red spaceman furiously.

The red spaceman tilted his head curiously, his mechanical voice crackling with amusement. "I did not bring you here. You had accepted your fate-"

"Clearly fucking  _not,_  because I am  _pretty_  fucking certain, I am  _not_  fucking dead!" Taylor fumed, and the sense of amusement he felt seemed to both grow and diminish with his temper. Taylor growled in frustration, turning in circles as he repeated to himself that he most certainly wasn't dead. Finally he forced himself to stop, taking a deep breath as he tilted his head back and looked up.

"You're The Endless." He said suddenly, his memory prickling as he lowered his gaze to the strange window again, slowly walking over. "The Vaanti speak of you, treat you like a God... And Rourke, he's  _scared_  of you." Taylor said quietly, as he stepped around the far side of the window and watched his own sleeping face. "Because you  _know..._  You know how to make  _everything_  end." He said, turning around to find The Endless a few steps away from him.

"I..."

"But you're waiting for something..." Taylor continued, ignoring The Endless again, as he continued to muse his way through his thoughts, stringing the story together for himself. "Whatever it is, you need me to get it, or do it or-" he paused, drawing in a sudden breath that quickly expelled in a horrified gasp. "Or  _stop_  it..." He sighed, running a hand over his eyes tiredly. "You want me to stop the visions... The others dying, that's what you meant by hollow idols. If the host dies; the idol becomes hollow... Useless. And then the loop begins again..." He said, shaking his head as the fabric stitched itself together in his mind. "I don't know how... Or why... But you want me to save the others." He said, sensing he was still missing something important, but too relieved to finally have a reason for the time loop to look for any further details.

The Endless shook it's giant helmet once again, the slow motion seeming almost mocking as Taylor frowned at his own reflection in the visor. "You should not be here." The voice said, it's tone clipped, and Taylor snorted upon realizing they were annoyed at him. "You are not ready to know such-"

"Well, my head full of memories says other wise." He snarked, winking at The Endless before strolling casually away, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully as he stared at all the vacant white space around him. "What the hell  _is_  this place?" He demanded.

"This is the Awakening." The Endless said, slowly stomping over to the strange, hovering window. "After the loop resets, your memories converge here, fading away into the light; to be collected, and remade." They explained, gesturing to his sleeping figure in the window. "And then you return to the point of the Origin."

"You speak like a goddamn idiot." Taylor sighed, rolling his eyes as he wrapped his arms around himself, suddenly feeling cold despite the stable temperature around him. "Look just stop with the bullshit; how the hell do I get back?" He asked, turning to face The Endless again.

"That cycle is over." The Endless repeated, shaking their head again in the same slow motion. "You cannot go back. You must return to the Origin." They said firmly, as Taylor scoffed and turned away.

"Well, it doesn't look like I'm going anywhere then." He said with a sigh, as he strolled through the unending whiteness in an aimless pattern.

"You, are  _different."_  The Endless said slowly, walking towards him from the left, yet appearing on Taylors right. "You...  _cannot_  reset." They said with a mechanical hiss, which Taylor assumed was their equivalent of a gasp. He frowned, paying closer attention as The Endless examined him closely.

"You mean...if I die, like,  _really_  die..?" Taylor said slowly, a cocktail of concern and elation clashing in his gut.

"All would be for naught." The Endless whispered hollowly. Taylor shook his head, forcing away the images of his friends; of Jake, which tried to smother him as he sucked in a deep breath and looked around with a fresh outlook.

"No more immortality, huh?" He asked, his heart feeling oddly lighter than it had since they'd boarded Jake's plane. "It's weird, but... that, actually makes things look a little better. It's  _finally_  the last time..!" He said, grinning at The Endless broadly. "You said before I accepted my fate, right...?" He asked suddenly, tapping his fingers against his lips, as The Endless nodded slowly. "But that's horseshit... I was smug about besting Rourke, sure. But I knew something... I felt it, I still feel it..." He said confidently, frowning as he rested his hand over his chest to indeed feel a strange pulse; much deeper than merely just his heart. "Besides, Jake was coming..." He added absently, recalling the free blur streaking towards the cliff.

"Time is of the essence, Taylor." The Endless said, shaking their head in their strange, slow way. "You must not waste your final chance."

"Time is of the essence..." Taylor repeated lightly, frowning as he remembered the things The Endless has told him. "If, accepting I was about to die brought me to the reset... Then,  _knowing_  I'm not dead yet..." He murmured, trailing off as he felt the pulse within his chest grow stronger. Taylor smiled, as he felt himself fill with warmth. He tilted his head up, feeling a breeze against his skin, and the pulse radiating from deep within his heart. The sky slowly painted itself above him as he watched, pinpricks of white stars blazing across the great black blanket as it bled across the horizon, before closing his eyes and straining his ears.

"Be  _careful,_  Taylor," The Endless warned, their heavy footfalls sounding around him, even as the scenery began to snap back into focus around him. "We will meet again soon. Find the idols, keep them safe." The Endless whispered, a mechanical hiss, as the whiteness flashed briefly behind his eyelids.

He opened his eyes slowly, to find a pilot sailing through the air towards him, as if in slow motion. His cerulean eyes were wide with fear, and his mouth opened in a cry which Taylor had never heard. Taylor glanced down, guessing the pilot had launched himself from a large boulder, his arms reaching for Taylor desperately. He stared at Jake in awe, his small smile growing to a full blown grin, as he looped his bound hands over the pilots neck and drew him closer. Instantly, it was as if the world began moving again.

 _"Oof!"_  He gasped, as Jake collided with him forcefully, his arms wrapping around him tightly as he knocked him sideways and clung on to him desperately. Taylor grunted as they hit the ground hard, crashing, bumping and rolling furiously across the grass. He cried out as his head scraped against a rock briefly, but the pain was gone almost a second later, as finally; they rolled to a stop. For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of their heavy panting for breath, their chests heaving as they lay together. Slowly, Jake's head rose from Taylors chest, his clear eyes raking over him as if fearing the worst. "Hi, Top Gun..." Taylor said quietly, his voice hoarse from disuse. His fingers carded lightly through the pilots hair at the nape of his neck, and his eyes softened, as he ran them over Jake's pale face. "Nice catch there," he said softly, his lips hitching into the tiniest of grins.

Jake seemed to snap out of his daze, his hands suddenly working furiously to check Taylor over for injuries that his frantic eyes might miss. "You..." The pilot choked, dabbing gently to the streak of blood at the side of his head, making him wince faintly at the sudden sting of pain. "You  _goddamn..."_  He fumed, his expression morphing into a scowl and his hands curling into fists against Taylors chest, as he straddled his waist. "I don't know whether to kiss you or kick your  _goddamn ass!_  You  _idiot!_  What the  _hell_  was that?!"

"If there's a vote on the matter, mine is for kisses." Taylor said cheekily, ignoring the pilots questions and offering him a hopeful grin. The action seemed to derail his fury for a moment, as he blinked down at Taylor in surprise.

Jake stared in awe, before his lips crashed against Taylors with a desperation that had him arching against the pilot. He gasped, as Jake's teeth scraped against his lower lip, nipping it sharply as he poured all his fears, frustrations and relief into the kiss.

Taylor gasped at the rough quality of the pilots kiss, allowing his demanding tongue easy access into his mouth, as he dug his fingers into the back of the pilots neck and pulled him closer to him.

"Never," Jake murmured, pulling away to scrape hard, scratchy kisses and nips along Taylors jaw towards his ear; his fingers almost tight enough to bruise, as they clamped onto his arms, though Taylor was hardly about to complain.  _"Ever,"_  the pilot growled, as he pressed a frantic kiss to Taylors pulse in his throat, as if checking it was really still there. "Leave my side again." The pilot demanded and Taylor froze, staring up at Jake, as he leaned away enough that their quick rasps for breath mingled between them. His clear eyes were determined, guarded in their sincerity and fear, and Taylor felt something deep within him melt.

He tugged the pilot closer, resting their foreheads together, as he stated up at him adoringly. "I  _like_  this plan." He whispered, pressing a quick kiss to the corner of Jake's lips, as the other man huffed and physically sagged with relief.

"Hey, what the-!" Jake cried, his gaze hardening as he was yanked backwards. "Get off'a me, ya giant Smurfs!" He growled, throwing his weight against the two Vaanti who held him up a short distance away.  _"Taylor!"_  He called desperately, struggling against those who restrained him, as other Vaanti warriors crowded around where Taylor still lay. One tugged on the rope binding his wrists, encouraging him to his feet.  _"Hey,_  get away from him, you-"

"Jake!" Taylor called, as he managed to sit himself on his knees, but struggled to keep to his feet beneath him. "I'm okay, just... A little dizzy." He said, shaking his head as he wobbled. He raised his hands to his brow, wincing as he rubbed a sore spot gently.

Jake's hands were quickly bound by the other end of Taylor's rope, giving them a chance to step closer to each other, as Jake eyed his head wound worriedly. "Boy Scout-"

 _"Jake..."_  Taylor huffed, leaning his he's on the pilots shoulder as he waited for the Vaanti to lead them away. "I'm okay." He said quietly, yawning as he closed his eyes.

"Hey, stay awake..." Jake murmured, jostling him gently as he watched him closely. "Hey, Boy Scout..? What the hell happened? I saw you fallin' but then, it was like... I dunno, like you were movin' at half speed or something." Jake said slowly, watching him as Taylor raised his head and opened his eyes to frown back at him.

"What do you mean?" Taylor asked, "after I fell off the cliff, I-" he paused, lowering his gaze to the floor as his mind turned white. He remembered Rourke's surprised expression as he winked and stepped off the edge, and he recalled a warmth as he fell, his certainty that Jake would catch him. Beyond that he remembered nothing save for the pilot knocking his breath from him, as they collided in mid-air. He shook his head, glancing up at Jake with obvious perplexity as he bit his lip. "I don't know... I remember seeing Rourke; and then... then,  _you_  were there." He admitted, as the Vaanti hugged at the rope briefly, before gesturing for them to walk ahead of them.

"This island..." Jake sighed, stepping closer to Taylor and encouraging him to lean against him as they walked back towards the others. "Just when you think we're all full up on crazy." He huffed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Hmm..." Taylor hummed in agreement, feeling exhaustion seep into him as he stumbled along beside his pilot, content in the warmth of his presence beside him.

"Stay with me, Boy Scout," Jake murmured, glancing down at him worriedly. Taylor nodded against the pilots side, before he groaned, as a wave of pain passed through him from the motion. He blinked blearily as they approached the still blazing, now crumpled temple, and he sighed with relief to see his friends all together outside; although their hands were bound.

"Holy shit, he made it..." Zahra said slowly, her eyes wide as she stared at their approaching figures.

 _"Chyeah,_  bro! Told ya he'd make it!" Craig grinned, bumping his fist against the still shocked Zahra's.

 _"Taylor!"_  Taylor looked over at the sound of his name, smiling wearily as he saw Diego struggling to try and stand, though the nearest Vaanti was refusing to let him. Taylor nudged Jake in his best friends direction, and the pilot steered them forward, allowing Taylor to flop down beside his friend as soon as they were able to stop. "Holy shit, Taylor! What the hell happened?" Diego asked, as Taylor whined sleepily, curling up against his side until he heard Jake chuckle beside him and, quickly switched to lean against the pilots shoulder instead.

"Fell off'a cliff..." Taylor mumbled, deftly choosing not to mention the deliberate choice behind his fall.

"Maybelline, can you..?" Jake muttered quietly, though Taylor couldn't focus on his words through his haze of exhaustion. "...hit his head."

"Maybe, if I can get in my bag, but these  _jerks_  wont let me even move!" The blonde huffed in irritation, flaring at the Vaanti warriors guarding them.

"Varyyn," Diego called desperately, as the tall leader walked over. "Varyyn,  _please,_  Taylors hurt... Please, let us get him some medicine..." Taylor hummed in protest, irritated by all the noise when all he wanted was to sleep. He heard Jake chuckle beside him, and he protested louder as the pilot shifted away from him, before gently pulling Taylors back against his chest, his bound arms wrapping around him securely.

He grinned goofily, purring in contentment, as he leaned back and let his head rest of the pilots shoulder. He hissed however, when Michelle pressed a hand over his wound, opening his eyes to glare reproachfully at his pilot. "Sneak attack..." He mumbled, as the pilot laced their bound fingers together as best he could, chuckling as he watched Michelle work.

"Jake, press this one against his shoulder there, it looks like he caught it pretty bad on something..." Michelle advised, and Taylor frowned as he looked down, blinking in surprise at his injured shoulder.

"Huh," he hummed, as Jake pressed a healing leaf to a deep gouge which had torn through the flesh.  _"Aw,_  your jacket, Top Gun..." He muttered, his face falling as Jake snorted in amusement.

"Not exactly my top priority at present, Boy Scout..." The pilot huffed, his lips brushing against Taylors temple briefly. Taylor sighed, as an ache he hadn't even noticed began to ease in his shoulder. The haze of pain in his head finally began to clear, taking some of the exhaustion with it, as Michelle finally removed the leaves a few minutes later. He shook his head, and looked around at his friends, grinning tiredly but fondly at them all.

"Uh, hi guys..." He said, waving as Craig and Zahra sniggered at him. Diego visibly sagged in relief as Quinn and Grace both reached for his hands.  _"Er..."_  He hummed, glancing at Jake in obvious distress as everyone continued to stare at him.

"Taylor,  _please_  don't scare us like that again..." Quinn asked quietly, and Taylor hummed noncommittally, as he frantically looked around for anything he could use to distract his friends from their worry.

 **"Behold!"**  The old shaman called, gesturing towards where they all sat on the ground, and Taylor sighed in relief as the groups attention was stolen from him. "Canis has brought us something far greater than the idol, which the man of the Hydra has sadly stolen..." The shaman continued, as Taylor subtly raised a brow to Diego, who petted Taylors bag gently where it hung over his shoulder. "At last, the Twelve have come to fulfil their destiny!" The shaman cried, as the Vaanti cheered around him. "Now we shall return to Elyys'tel, and share this news with our illustrious Elyyshar!"

The Vaanti stamped their feet and cheered loudly, reaching out to tug Taylors friends to their feet. "Looks like we're on the road again, guys..." Taylor muttered, laughing when they all groaned. The Vaanti set them moving at a brisk pace, directing them back toward the village. "Hey Sean," Taylor asked, glancing at the athlete as they marched through the rainforest. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good." Sean sighed, rubbing at a bump on the back of his head and wincing. "Can't believe Rourke got the best of me, man... Guess you were right about him." The athlete said, and Taylor chuckled dryly, shaking his head at the dark skinned boy.

"Don't beat yourself up for being an optimist, Sean-"

"He doesn't need to, Phony Stark already did it for him..." Jake muttered with a lopsided grin, and Taylor elbowed him hard in the side, throwing him a withering glare as the others sniggered at the interruption.

 _"Jake..!"_  He scolded playfully, as the pilot grinned unashamedly. "Rourke is a  _whole_  different ball game, Sean. Trust me when I say he is  _way_  outta our league."

"I dunno,  _you_  managed to get away from him..." The athlete said, eyeing Taylor thoughtfully. "Maybe you're more of a match for him than you think."

"I had help, Iris created a distraction. Gave me a chance to escape..." Taylor said dismissively, wishing he could have taken the drone A.I. with him. "She gave me a twelve second window to get away." He said, frowning when the words made him feel like he'd forgotten something important.

"Iris..." Raj sighed heavily, shaking his head sadly as he trudged along beside Craig. "Man, I hope she's okay. Rourke won't hurt her, will he?"

"Technically, she is merely a computer programme." Aleister said lightly, though his brows were pinched slightly in concern. "As a result she would not feel any pain from anything my father would be able to do to her... However, if you're asking whether he can punish her for her aide, the ultimate answer would be yes."

"Dude, that was  _not_  reassuring..." Raj said mournfully, his face falling further as he grimaced in worry.

"Taylor..?" Diego asked quietly, stepping up beside him and pressing their arms together as they walked, both seeking and giving reassurance. "You have  _no_  idea how happy I am to see you, dude..."

"Feelings mutual, buddy..." Taylor sighed, shaking his head as he swallowed heavily. "When that place collapsed... I nearly jumped off the cliff right then, I was so scared, man."

"Dude, what d'you mean-" Diego gasped, his eyes wide as he stumbled beside Taylor, who winced at the knowing gleam in his friends eyes.  _"You_  -"

"Do  _not_  tell Jake." Taylor whispered furiously, glancing at the pilot, relief flooding through him when he saw the other mans attention was locked into a fierce whispered conversation with Sean. "Dude seriously, he would  _literally_  kill me." Taylor muttered hurriedly, peering at his friend with a pleading gaze.

 _"Dude,_  you-" Diego repeated, and Taylor nudged him hard with his shoulder, sending him sprawling into a puddle. He grinned innocently as Jake glanced over with a raised brow, reaching down to help Diego up with a scowl as soon as he looked away again.

"Shut up, assbutt!" Taylor whispered urgently, dropping them back slightly so Jake wouldn't overhear them.

 _"Dude!"_  Diego spluttered, glancing down at his soaked lower half. He looked up and glared at Taylor, who looked his friend over quickly, before grinning cheekily.

"Don't blame me," Taylor snorted, as Diego narrowed his eyes at him.

 _"I blame you_..." He muttered lowly, shaking his head as they followed along at the back of the group, as they emerged from the rainforest to the village entrance. "Taylor... What were you  _thinking,_  man? Do you have any idea how scared I was when I saw you falling?" He asked, looking up with a haunted expression which made Taylor squirm guiltily. "How scared we  _all_  were..? I couldn't even  _do_  anything, but the Sean, Craig and even Aleister all worked together just to give Jake the chance to reach you... But,  _dude..._  I did  _not_  think he was gonna make it." He confessed quietly.

"Diego..." Taylor sighed, his eyes darting around the Vaanti gathering at the edge of their procession. "I... I'm  _sorry,_  I didn't have a lot of options and I just, I needed to get away quickly..." He said lamely, raising his bound hands to awkwardly scratch at his ear. "Look, it seemed like a good idea at the time okay!" He huffed, frowning as he averted his gaze, looking dubiously at the rope bridge they were being led across.

"I'm just gonna go ahead and say this right now, your idea of 'a good idea'  _is not a good idea_!" Diego sighed, scowling at him as they approached the giant tree at the heart of the village. "Next time you have 'a good idea' do the  _opposite!"_  He fumed, continuing to grumble under his breath as Taylor sighed and rolled his eyes.

They walked on in silence, Taylor glancing at his friends stiff posture and irritated expression occasionally, biting his lip thoughtfully. Unable to take his friends fierce disapproval any longer, he nudged him gently with his shoulder, earning himself a scowl as he waggled his brows at Diego playfully. "Hey Diego," he said, a small grin blossoming across his face. "What's your favourite colour?"

"Dude,  _no."_  Diego scowled, though his lips twitched, which Taylor took as encouragement.

"Come on, just tell me." Taylor insisted, his grin growing as he bounced on his feet hopefully, forcing Diego to meet his eyes.

Hazel orbs melted from hard irritation to soft amusement despite Diego's best efforts to maintain his ire. "Dude, I am  _not_  falling for this again. Not this time!" He said stubbornly, looking away as Taylor grinned widely and jostled him again.

"Come on, Diego... Just answer the question." He pushed, sniggering as he shook Diego's shoulder with his bound hands eagerly. "What's your favourite colour?"

"You know sometimes I really don't like you." Diego snorted, his lips lifting slightly against his will as he looked back at Taylor. "I am not doing this... You are  _not_  forgiven.  _You,_  are lucky I haven't  _already_  told Jake." He said, grinning triumphantly as Taylors eyes darted nervously towards the pilot.

"Dude,  _please,_  I'll do anything." Taylor promised. "I will not  _ever_  make a plan, ever again just,  _pleeeaaase_  Diego, please don't tell Jake..!"

"Okay,  _that_  right there;  _that's_  similar to the fear we felt... So, you  _deserved_  that." Diego said smugly, grinning at last as Taylor wilted in relief. "Also I accept your unconditional surrender as plan maker... You are such an idiot..." Diego huffed, nudging Taylor as their eyes met in an amused glance. "But hey, what else are best friends for, but to point out your idiocy?"

Taylor sniggered, as he and Diego bumped their bound hands together. His expression turned serious however, as they were escorted into a vast chamber within the central tree of the village; the heart of Elyys'tel. High above them, giant faces had been carved into the wood, and Taylors jaw dropped at the detailed craftmanship. Vaanti watched in silence as they were paraded inside, their golden eyes glowing through the eye pieces of their masks.

"Silent treatment, huh?" Jake asked, peering around with a cocky grin, though his gaze was sharp as he surveyed the chamber carefully. "I can handle that." He said, his eyes falling on Taylor as he walked up beside him.

"I'll remember that." Taylor murmured quietly, sniggering as Jake raised a brow in intrigue. He winked innocently, before turning to see Diego walking beside Varyyn. His expression fell to a guarded smile, as he beheld the two quietly exchanging furtive glances. He inhaled deeply through his nose, trying to stem the sting of betrayal he felt, reminding himself that Diego had been around Varyyn for six months already and could hardly be blamed for forming a friendship with the blue skinned man; or whatever it was they'd formed between them.

He frowned as Varyyn's jaw dropped, his eyes wide as he looked around the chamber, suddenly alert and tense. "What is it?" Diego asked quietly, looking up at Varyyn worriedly. "What's happening?"

"The Tribunal has assembled..." Varyyn said, carefully rearranging his expression before the other Vaanti noticed his surprise, though his gaze was hollow as he glanced down to Diego. "...to judge your fate." He admitted uneasily, and Taylor couldn't deny the sincerity of his distress. "Three will speak for our tribe, and three will speak for your group..." He began to explain, but when a withered crone spoke from a throne of vines, he immediately fell silent.

" **Bring them forward**." She said in her native tongue, her calm voice ringing through the chamber in a contained burst. At the seated Vaanti's command, Taylor, Aleister and Lila were freed from their bindings and ushered towards a throne made of woven roots.

"Boy Scout-" Jake muttered urgently, and Taylor glanced back, throwing him a reassuring wink as he grinned at him.

"Hey, wait!" Craig demanded, struggling against the Vaanti restraining him. "I'm going up there too!" He said, as he and Jake tried to push through after them, only to be forcibly held back by a contingent of Vaanti guards.

"Good luck, Taylor..." Quinn murmured, as she set her bound hands on Jake's arm and gently eased him back from the guards.

"Yeah, apparently we're counting on you." Zahra snorted, raising her bound hands to smack Craig gently around his ear, drawing him back from the guards. "No pressure or anything..." She said, as Craig pouted and rubbed his head.

Taylor watched as the shaman who had spoken to them at the temple, hobbled forward to stand before Taylor, who balked and leaned away. He took a slight step away from the old man, as the shaman began chanting on a deep, resonant voice. " **Crystallized destiny, idol of hope**..." He said, as he brought his palm to Taylors forehead, whose brows rose as he looked up in surprise at the gesture. " **Crystallized destiny, idol-"**  Taylor blinked, as the shaman was cut off by a peal of thunder, resounding in the distance. The elderly man's eyes widened, his hands trembling as he lowered them from Taylors face.  **"It is a proven truth!"**  The shaman breathed, and Taylor shifted uncomfortably the mans awestruck expression. "They are indeed the Twelve Catalysts of legend!" He said in English, and Taylor glanced around the surrounding crowd, as they gasped in astonishment.

"Correct!" He said with a chuckle, grinning broadly as he folded his freed arms over his chest. "Now, kneel and offer us tribute!" He sniggered, as he heard his friends break into giggles behind him.

"That's right!" Jake confirmed, and Taylor glanced back to see the beaming grin he could hear in the mans voice, as he looked at Taylor with obvious affection. "How about showing us a little  _respect?"_

Taylor looked around to see his demand was met mostly with blank stares, while the shaman chuckled politely. "We respect your power Catalyst, but we do not give worship." He said, breaking into a broad grin as he eyed them with amusement. "Does the apple admire the beast who comes along to devour it?  _Hahaha!"_

"Oh, hilarious." Aleister drawled disinterestedly, sighing as he folded his arms over his chest. "Now release us, immediately!" He demanded, scowling at the shaman.

"What is actually going on here?" Taylor asked, looking around in curious frustration, as he felt vague tickles of remembrance at the back of his mind. "Who are you, anyway?" He asked, frowning at the shaman as he failed to recall a name for his face, despite the faint twinge of recognition he felt.

"Yes, forgive me." The shaman said, bowing with a flourish as he lea ed heavily on his amber walking cane. "I am called Uqzhaal." He said, frowning as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Perhaps one of our oldest legends might shed a little light on your understanding..." He added, relaxing against his staff, his crimson eyes warm as he smiled at Taylor. "Long ago, our tribe was visited by one who moves unhindered among the branches, of the Great Tree of Time..."

"The who in the what, now?" Jake asked, and Taylor sniggered, turning to the pilot with a withering glance.

"He means, The Endless," Taylor said, ignoring Uqzhaal's start of surprise, as he narrowed his eyes at Jake playfully. "Now hush, and let him speak." He scolded, biting his lip not to laugh as Jake saluted him and mimed zipping his lips shut.

Uqzhaal stared at him with wide eyes for a moment as Taylor turned back to the shaman, glancing to Varyyn, who shrugged disinterestedly in reply. "I was informed of your knowledge, but I was  _hesitant_  to believe it... The Endless is most reclusive, I wonder why they would have chosen to show themselves to you..." He mumbled, trailing off as he narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.

 _Not sure it was so much their choice_... Taylor thought, shifting uncomfortably as his head prickled with pain. He frowned, rubbing distractedly at a forming headache at his temple, as he thought about the strange red spaceman; knowing there was something new missing from his memory about them, but unable to press for further answers.

"Your friend is correct, in that we call this one; The Endless. This Master of Time foretold to us, of twelve individuals; whose arrival would herald Raan'losti... The unmaking of the world." Taylor dug his nails into his arm, his eyes darting to Varyyn, as he recalled the vision the Vaanti had shown him; of Mount Atropo's eruption, and it's destruction of the world. He recalled the calls they'd made via the satellite uplink, the desperate cries of those who'd witnesses the devastation as it struck, and he shivered as he thought the time might fast be approaching that the event would occur. "Inspired by visions of those who would come, our ancestors crafted twelve idols of flawless amber..." Uqzhaal continued, and Taylors met Diego's gaze briefly, before they both attuned their attention on the shaman.

"These Vaalta pleased The Endless, and for many tranquil years, they were kept in a temple, deep in the forest..." Uqzhaal explained, shaking his head as he sighed, while Taylor rolled his eyes at the dramatic emphasis. "But peace is inevitably followed by strife. Conflict among our people saw the idols stolen, and scattered across the island. The Endless consoled us; announcing that when the vaalta are finally reunited, the power to protect the island will be within reach." Taylor frowned, finding the description of the amber idols to be a little thick to swallow.  _What a crock of sh_ \- he thought, only to cut himself off suddenly as the shaman beamed around at them. "Clearly  _you_  are the Twelve Catalysts, and Raan'losti is upon us!"

Taylor raised a brow at the elderly man, shaking his head as the mans crimson eyes settled upon him. "You are way too cheerful to be talking about the end of the world..." He said with a sigh, running his hand through his hair, as he bit his lip and narrowed his eyes at the shaman. "Is it meant to be a good thing..?"

"Some would say no." Uqzhaal admitted with a hum, before breaking into a softer, more genuine grin. "But I believe it is, for there is time yet to stop it!" He said brightly, as the regally attired Vaanti seated on the throne raised her hands for the attention of those gathered within the great chamber.

"If this is true, Uqzhaal, then we must proceed carefully." She said, in English, and Taylor choked as he stared at her with wide eyes.

"Since when can you  _all_  speak English?" He asked, his expression morphing into a scowl as he looked toward Varyyn. "You know, it might've made things a heck of a lot easier if everyone had just talked to us; instead of going the whole 'capture or kill first' route..." He said, narrowing his eyes as Varyyn averted his gaze guiltily, clearly remember the argument they'd had in the ballroom of The Celestial.

"We learn quickly, young one." The seated Vaanti chuckled, beaming a wide smile towards him. "Catalysts," she said formally, her expression smoothing into a calm and regal mask. "I am Ximaedra, Elyyshar of the Vaanti. I would know your purpose on this island."

Taylor dropped his gaze to the floor, hesitating even as he sensed the same answer from each of his friends. "We want to..." He began, clearing his throat as he tried to some believable emotion into his toneless reply. "We just wanted to... find a way home." He said with a faint wince, his hands wrapping tightly around his stomach as he felt it quiver with distress. He avoided looking at his friends, hoping they wouldn't notice his reluctance over the very thought of leaving the island.

"Clearly, we don't belong here." Aleister said firmly, injecting some feeling into Taylors own flat attempt to reply. "Let us be on our way, and we'll leave you to your precious island." The pale boy said superiorly, brushing imaginary lint from his shoulders.

"What absurdity." Sighed a green skinned female Vaanti, with green and brown braids in her hair, and what looked to be literal; bone armour. "All life begins and ends upon Vaanu. There is nowhere else to go." Taylor gasped, his hands clamping into his hair as his head was splintered with pain. He grit his teeth together, hanging his head as he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. He couldn't think, couldn't see, couldn't even breathe without a wave of pain assaulting him. Images flashed, a lifetimes worth, then two; three. Countless lifetimes passed through his mind, a blur of colours and emotions combined, ending in a sudden burst of crystalline colours, before both the visions and the pain disappeared entirely. He whimpered quietly through his nose, able to pick up the faint sounds of Jake struggling behind him, and he waved a shaking hand in the pilots direction; silently asking him not to draw attention to his brief meltdown. He glanced back, his dark eyes locking with Jake's clear ones as the pilot watched him worriedly, until finally the pilots eyes dropped and landed on his injured lip. Taylor felt a pang of guilt, and he offered the pilot a weak and crooked grin before looking back to the Elyyshar.

"War Chief Seraxa." She addressed the green skinned woman, her expression thoughtful, as Taylor shook his head and tried to understand what the war chief had said to set off such a violent reaction in his head. "What say  _you_  of the Catalysts?"

"The Twelve have brought great upheaval with them, yes..." Seraxa replied calmly, before her expression morphed into a furious snarl. "Not only did they reject their sacred journey-"

"That was my decision, not the others." Taylor said quickly, ignoring the woman's surprised staring at his interruption. "Though to be fair, I think had we invaded your home, yelling in our foreign tongue as we shook weapons at you; you'd have 'resisted' us..." He added with a snort.

"They've also waged war upon our people at every opportunity!" Seraxa growled in irritation, and Taylor sucked at his injured lip to keep himself from interrupting again. "If we do not stop them, here and now, Raan'losti will be our doom." The heavily armoured war chief pulled out a large ceremonial knife, its obsidian blade glistening in the firelight. Taylor eyed the knife cautiously, as Seraxa took a large step forward, raising the blade high enough for all to see. "As war chief of Elyys'tel... I declare the Catalysts;  _blood enemies,_  of the Vaanti!" She called through the chamber, and piercing war cries erupted from the crowd, the rabble roused by her speech. As the din reached a crescendo, Seraxa cut a great gash into her arm, and once more raised the knife high enough for all to see; now stained red with her blood.

 _"Madness!"_  Uqzhaal cried, his eyes wide as he watched the war chief make such a spectacle of herself.

"Such unnecessary theatrics," Aleister sighed, clearly unimpressed by Seraxa's display.

"On what grounds do you invoke this?" Ximaedra asked, her eyes wide as she looked to her war chief, clearly surprised by the reaction herself.

"They violently resisted Prince Varyyn's escort!" Seraxa growled, glaring at Taylor as if daring him to refute her once again. Taylor merely stared back, however, too surprised by the title of 'Prince' to argue. "They attacked the shore guardian, and irresponsibly manipulated the crystals of Vaanu!" She cried, and Taylor winced at the brief flash of pain in his head.  _Vaanu..._  He thought briefly, frowning at both the familiar and unfamiliar nature of the name. He shook his head and pushed the name aside again, refocusing on Seraxa as she glared around the room and continued. "Now, they've burned the Valley of Tombs... Not to mention, endangered the life of our dear; Keeper of the Old Faith." She said, sneering at Uqzhaal, as the elderly man snorted and shook his head dismissively at her.

"I would like to state; for the record your honour, we did  _not_  set fire to anything, that was all Rourke." Taylor said, though he was largely ignored as Lila frowned up at the war chief.

"Shore Guardian?" She asked, her expression guarded as she eyed the green skinned woman thoughtfully. "I don't remember any guardian-"

"She speaks of the great crab." Uqzhaal explained, shaking his head sadly. "One of the four nighty beasts who guard the island."

"For generations, we've known the appearance of the Catalysts signaled great destruction..." Seraxa continued imploringly, her voice carrying through the chamber easily. "Now we know;  _they_  are the destruction!" She cried, raising her fist into the air in emphasis of her words, as Vaanti cheered her on. "We have also been taught what we must do, to save the island. The time has come." She said, her eyes narrowed as she slowly lowered the knife, glaring unblinkingly at Taylor. "The Twelve must  _die."_

"I see." Ximaedra said thoughtfully, frowning as she considered the war chiefs words. "Putting our faith in the Catalysts is clearly a great risk... But you would have us extinguish that risk, and face Raan'losti on our own." She added, before turning towards Varyyn, who shifted uncomfortably beneath her gaze.

"And what think you, Varyyn my son?" She asked warmly, her eyes alight with curiosity and pride. "Would you have us aide the Catalysts? Or sentence them to death?" She asked, and Taylor turned towards the Vaanti Prince himself, raising a brow as Varyyn noticeably squirmed at the attention.

"I..." He began, hesitating as his eyes darted between his mother, to Diego and Seraxa in quick succession. "It... is not my place to speak before the Tribunal." He finally said, casting his eyes to the floor, and missing his mothers disappointed expression.

Taylor scoffed, scowling as he folded his arms over his chest.  _ **Coward.**_  He thought firmly, noticing the Vaanti Prince flinch, before looking towards him with wide but confused eyes ** _. I thought perhaps I was wrong about you, that perhaps I was being unfair, judging you as I have... I thought you genuinely cared for Diego_**. He thought, his eyes hard as he ran them over Varyyn with barely described contempt.  _ **Guess not.**_

 _ **You do not know of what you speak, mind-talker**_. Varyyn growled in his head, and Taylor snorted as he rolled his eyes, meeting Varyyn's hard glare with one of his own.  ** _This place is full of enough people who would manipulate my mother to sway their own agendas; I will not be one of them_**. The Vaanti Prince thought firmly, though his expression first softened, and then broke as he glanced over at Diego.  _ **No matter what I feel personally.**_

 _ **So in other words, you don't care enough about him to actually do anything to save his life?**_  Taylor snorted, looking towards Jake with a heavy lump forming in his throat, as he recalled the vision he'd seen; of the vacant look in his pilots dead eyes.  _ **Your mother asked your opinion, specifically. She wanted your input, and you shut her down... If you cared about Diego at all, even a little bit as much as he does for you, you would've jumped at the chance to save him**_. He thought hollowly, looking back at Varyyn tiredly.  ** _How ironic, that had this situation been reversed; he wouldn't have hesitated to speak for you, if he were given such an ample opportunity_**. He thought, before breaking eye contact from Varyyn with a sigh, turning away and firmly clamping down on his mind, rejecting any further communication from the prince.

"Uqzhaal," Ximaedra called, her expression smoothed into a neutral mask once more. "Did the Endless not speak of the Catalysts capacity for salvation;  _and_  destruction?" She inquired, and Taylors eyes strayed to Seraxa, as she glared at him. He glanced back at Diego, biting his lip indecisively, immediately wincing when he caused the injured flesh to throb and weep with blood once more.

"This is true, my Elyyshar..." Uqzhaal admitted, as Diego caught Taylor looking at him, and waved awkwardly across the chamber, a confused tilt to his lopsided grin.

"Then, we may in fact be enemies, after all." Ximaedra said, a sad frown on her face, as she peered around them all thoughtfully. "That, is what we must determine here..." She said firmly, as she turned to Taylor; who flashed Diego a brief grin, before he met the Vaanti chiefs gaze. "Catalysts, do you strive for harmony or change?" She asked.

"We... do not always get a choice in the matter." Taylor hedged, rubbing the back of his neck in awkward frustration, as he cleared his throat. "I guess, if I'm honest, I'd have to say we are agents of change..."

"So you  _admit_  it!" Seraxa spat, her teeth flashing in a grimace as she sneered at him. "You  _are_  here to disrupt the balance of Vaanu!"

"Calm down, She-Hulk..." Taylor snapped, ignoring the pleased snigger which came from behind him, as he glared at Seraxa in irritation. "Perhaps your people have resisted change until now, but you have to admit; the whole damn island is in a constant state of flux itself!" He ranted, running a hand through his hair as he jerked his thumb over his shoulder at his friends. "We didn't go actively seeking the shit that's happened to us since we got here, you know? All these guys want is to go home..."

"Wisely spoken." Uqzhaal said proudly, beaming a wide smile at Taylor, who shifted uncomfortably under the shaman's scrutiny. "Truly, they are children of the stars in body and spirit both!"

" **Cloq when zarvii."**  Seraxa growled, and though Taylor couldn't understand her while his mind remained stubbornly closed off to Varyyn, he hazarded a guess that she had not said anything particularly polite. "This means little. Our predetermined duty, remains before us." She said firmly, folding her arms over her chest, her amour clinking quietly as dissent passed among the gathered Vaanti. On their faces, Taylor could see the doubt, distrust and even; fear.

"This isn't looking good for us..." Lila whispered, her eyes darting around the chamber frantically, assessing every crevice for an escape route it seemed.

"There's really not a lot we can do here..." Taylor murmured with a quiet sigh, scratching his ear thoughtfully, tactfully keeping quiet about the small plan forming in the back of his mind. "I mean, I can explain it's just a big misunderstanding; that we didn't know what the hell they wanted when we 'resisted' but... I don't think it's really gonna make much difference at this point." He muttered with a faint sigh.

"Well, maybe I could vouch for you?" Lila offered, seeming almost desperate in her desire to get them free of the Vaanti. "Say what great kids you guys really are? Show them we're really not all that bad!"

"I'm gonna need a front row seat for when you explain Jake being first a kid, and second 'not that bad' considering the way he's currently glaring at them all..." Taylor huffed, glancing to where his pilot was silently fuming at the Vaanti around him. He looked over when he seemed to sense Taylors eyes on him, but Taylor quickly looked away, not wanting the man to see through him to the rapidly forming plan in his mind.

 _"Pfft,_  they won't care about that." Aleister scoffed, his arms folded over his arms as he stood rigidly, cutting an imposing figure against even some of the taller Vaanti warriors. "Taylor is correct to deduce there is not a lot we may gain from pleading our innocence to these people... So, I say we go on the offensive." The pale boy said, his lips curling into a sneer as he glared around the chamber. "Push their own hypocrisy in their faces!" He murmured harshly, his eyes hard as he raised an inquiring brow towards Taylor, waiting for his decision.

"Don't look at  _me,_  this is  _your_  plan, Draco." Taylor said, grinning widely as the pale boy rolled his eyes at the nickname. "Let 'em have it, Aleister." He laughed, spreading his palms for the pale boy to take the lead.

Aleister nodded to Taylor briefly, before calmly sauntering to the top of the audience hall's central dais. "Ladies, gentlemen, and... Craig." He began, smirking at the loud 'hey!' and round of giggling from their group of friends, before returning his focus to the Vaanti. "What we have here... is a farcical excuse for justice." He sneered, his calm expression bleeding into a superior scowl, as he glared around the many faces peering at him. "I haven't seen such a poor appraisal of facts, since Craig tried to convince me that Keanu Reeves was a vampire." The pale boy scoffed, and Taylor sniggerwd at Craig's scandalized expression as he stared up at the stage.

"Have you  _looked_  at the dude?" The jock asked, his eyes wide as he waved his bound hands in awkward emphasis. "He hasn't aged a day in like, twenty years!"

"What foolishness is this?" Seraxa demanded, glaring at them all as she curled her hands into tight balls. "Get to the point."

"In every encounter, it has been  _your_  people who've waged war upon  _us._  Taylor has already informed you of this fact, himself." Aleister sneered, gesturing towards Taylor briefly, who saluted and winked coyly. "This behaviour began with a certain 'follow or die' ultimatum at the very first meeting on the beach. As for enemies of the island..." He said, calmly smoothing down his already immaculate jumper. "Taylor discovered an amber arrowhead in the shell of the giant crab." He explained, raising a brow as he eyed the Vaanti's guards weapons thoughtfully. "Apparently you call- pardon,  _called_  this creature the Shore Guardian? Well, judging by the resinous weaponry around me, it's obvious we weren't the  _only_  ones to have defended ourselves against that thing." Aleister snorted, folding his arms over his chest as he met Seraxa's furious glare with one of his own. "Like you, we've merely sought to survive in an environment where all of nature seemed bent on  _killing us..._  But, alas... It appears civilization is the most dangerous predator."

The crowd remained utterly silent as Aleister gave a flourishing bow, before leaving the dais to the sound of Grace's barely contained giggle. From the corner of his eyes, Taylor saw Diego grin widely, miming a mic drop.

"Seeking answers for what came before, is less urgent than preparing for what will yet be..." Ximaedra said, after several long moments of awkward silence in the chamber. "Given all that I have heard so far... I cannot help but agree, that the Catalysts represent a major threat to the island." She said, shaking her head as she peered at Taylor intently. "Catalysts, if you have anything else to say on your behalf, please do so now. Otherwise... I will be forced to sentence you accordingly."

"These kids are just trying to get home!" Lila cried, her eyes wide as she looked pleadingly around the chamber. "You can't punish them for that!"

"Such utter tripe." Aleister snorted condescendingly, sighing as he folded his arms over his chest imperiously. "If this is the extent of your judicial system, your society is doomed; with or without us."

Taylor heaved a heavy sigh, grimacing as he glanced over at his friends behind them. Jake was watching him intently, his clear eyes sharp and focused. Diego was watching him also, his brow slowly raising in suspicion. Taylor cleared his throat guiltily and turned back towards the dais, his eyes swiftly passing over both Uqzhaal and Ximaedra, to land on Seraxa. "The only person who really seems to have a problem with us, is you; Little Miss Cranky Pincushion." He said, grinning lightly as she glared at him and ignoring the knowing groan he heard from Diego behind him.

"Mind your tongue." Seraxa said slowly, her menacing tone making several of the Vaanti flinch, although Taylor met her irate glare calmly. "As war chief, I speak in defense of all Vaanti, Catalyst."

"And you're such a model citizen, are you?" He asked, pointedly eyeing her peculiar armour. "You really think you're so typical, you can speak for everyone else?"

"Seraxa is most unusual." Uqzhaal conceded thoughtfully, meeting Taylors gaze in earnest contemplation as he voiced his thoughts aloud. "She lives alone... Has many cats."

"That's of no importance h-"

"Wait, wait,  _wait a minute!"_  Taylor cried, his eyes dancing with humour as he looked over at the clearly uncomfortable, green skinned woman. "You mean to tell me, your own version of 'the crazy cat lady' is your war chief?" He sniggered, barely able to contain himself as he listened to his friends laugh quietly behind him, watching as Seraxa's green skin tinge with red. "Oh my god, this is  _so_  awesome..." He gasped, finally allowing himself to laugh at the thought.

"...she also cares little for the Old Faith." Uqzhaal said, watching Taylor curiously as he sniggered and tried to regain control of himself.

"Oh, that's because the Old Faith is crap." Taylor gasped, ignoring the shamans indignant cry of surprise. "Honestly you think kidnapping people who're supposed to be your saviours is the way to go? To hold them  _hostage?_  You never thought that maybe just  _asking_  people for help might be more productive?" He asked, hiccupping with the tail end of his amusement, as he pictured Seraxa hurling cats at people who disturbed her at home.

"I believe Taylor has deviated from his original point, although his current line of defense is equally as valid." Aleister said calmly, glancing at Taylor quickly, though firmly enough to sober his remaining giggles. "I believe his original point, was to ask how someone who shirks tribal custom; is able to invoke it so readily against us..."

 _"Enough!"_  Seraxa fumed, her eyes hard as she glared at Taylor furiously. "You... question my faithfulness to my people? I fought and bled in the War of the Three Tribes! I was there, when Quarr'tel burned!" She growled, as Taylor hummed thoughtfully, and summoned his memories of his training with Jake; present and alternate timelines combined. He closed his eyes briefly, his hand curling into a loose ball, as he absorbed as much as he could from the memories. When he opened his eyes seconds later, he could see many of the Vaanti in attendance were nodding in agreement with her statements.

"The only thing I have no faith in; is  _you."_  She spat contemptuously, folding her arms over her chest as she sneered down at him. "I will not make the mistake of entrusting our future to outsiders, prophesied or otherwise."

"What if I fight you?" Taylor asked quietly, though his voice carried easily through the chamber. Seraxa blinked, clearly stunned by his suggestion, and Taylor quickly stepped forward to address the Vaanti gathered behind him. "Seraxa, your war chief, is your greatest warrior; correct? She respects those who have the strength enough to defend themselves from her." He said loudly, pointedly avoiding looking towards his friends, before turning back to the war chief herself. "I'll fight you, one on one; and if I win, you'll allow my friends to leave the island and return home."

"In the unlikely event you win, I shall kneel before the Altar of the Old Faith and pray forgiveness from The Endless themself." Seraxa snorted, her lips curling in amusement. "And what if I win?"

"Then you'll have your chance to kill me, without any kind of backlash... But you'll allow the others to live, as... prisoners of war." Taylor said, gesturing to both his friends and the war chiefs Elyyshar. "Unless of course, you're scared... That maybe, just  _maybe;_  you're wrong. You respect those who are strong and who fight for what they believe in, right? How better for you to get an accurate reading on the strength of my convictions?"

Seraxa eyed him critically for a long moment, before a predatory grin spilt across her face. "I, accept your terms." She said, standing taller as she waved him towards his friends. "You may say your goodbyes." She said with obvious amusement, gesturing to the guards to return them to the rest of the group.

Taylor winced, finally glancing back to his friends to find Diego, Sean and Michelle scowling at him. Jake was straining against the Vaanti guards, trying to push past them in his furious attempts to reach Taylor. "Uh, I don't suppose we could just... Start now?" He stalled, grimacing when Seraxa gave a single sharp laugh, before gesturing for their guards to escort them over to the others. He sighed and shuffled along behind Aleister and Lila, and as soon as he reached the others, they descended upon him like an angry tide.

"Taylor, this looks an  _awful_  lot like a plan, dude. We  _just_  had  _words,_  about you and your plans..." Diego said, scowling at him as Taylor shook his head quickly and wagged his finger back and forth.

"I assure you, there was  _no_  planning involved." He protested, spreading his palms innocently. "I didn't think about it, it just came out!" He said, and Diego snorted as he rolled his eyes.

"Well  _that's_  obvious." He scoffed, as he met Taylors eyes with a frustrated glare. "Of  _all_  the Vaanti for you to challenge, you just had to pick Seraxa..." He sighed, shaking his head in exasperation.

Taylor lifted one shoulder in a vaguely apologetic shrug, lifting his fist hopefully for his friend to bump. "Wish me luck?" He asked, as Diego anprted and shook his head again.

"Oh, I wish you luck all right," he sniggered, bumping his fist awkwardly with his bound hands. "But dude, I  _seriously_  doubt its gonna make a difference at this point."

"Thanks, Diego. So reassuring,  _really._  Inspiring." Taylor said, rolling his eyes as the others crowded around him.

"Bro, this is totally insane!" Craig cried, though he grinned as he bumped his bound hands into Taylors shoulder. "Sick man, show 'em who's boss!" The jock cheered, as Zahra shook her head and silently bumped her own bound hands to his fist in a gesture of support.

"Taylor..." Quinn said quietly, worrying her lip as she looked up at him with sadness in her eyes. "I  _really_  wish you hadn't done this." She said simply, and Taylor gently cupped her cheek, drawing her into a gentle hug.

"Every life has meaning," he said quietly, speaking into her long hair as he rubbed her arm gently. "I think saving those you love and cherish most, is probably the best meaning you could get..." He murmured, drawing away as she sniffled and averted her tearful eyes.

"Can't exactly argue with that kinda logic," Sean sighed, raising his bound hands to awkwardly clasp Taylors between them. "But, I still don't like it." Taylor grinned, hoping the gesture seemed more genuine than it felt, as Michelle looped her arms over his neck.

"I really wish you weren't doing this, Taylor," the blonde murmured in his ear. "But good luck..." She said, squeezing his shoulders as best she could, before lifting her arms over his head again.

"Dude!" Raj cried, "dude, dude,  _duuuude!"_  He repeated, shaking his head in disbelief. Taylor snorted, a rush of amusement filling him at the large boys loss for words.

"I know, dude." He sniggered, as Raj's expression morphed into a relieved grin, his concerns successfully understood.

"You're an idiot." Estela said flatly, as she shoved the others aside. Taylor barked a surprised laugh, though Estela's scowl never lessened despite his amusement at her attitude. "You should take my spear." She said, gesturing to where a Vaanti guard held her make shift weapon.

"I uh, don't think that's an option..." Taylor said slowly, eyeing the Vaanti with a sceptically raised brow. "Besides, we're not using weapons. It's just hand to hand." He assured.

"You're an idiot, Taylor." Estela sighed, shaking her head as she stepped away. "I'll miss you."

"Thankyou, very comforting... I value your faith." Taylor said with a straight face, winking conspiratorially at the dark haired girl, her lips twitching with amusement briefly before she looked away.

"Taylor..." Grace said, her fingers steepled nervously. "Be careful..." She said, as Aleister wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Yes, Taylor," the pale boy sneered, "if you could please avoid perishing, that would be preferable."

"Not perishing," Taylor said, "gotcha. I'll do my best." He assured, before taking a deep breath as he finally turned towards Jake.

"I hate this plan." Jake immediately growled, his eyes hard and guarded as he looked Taylor over quickly.

"I know, Top Gun." Taylor said, reaching out to take the pilots bound hands gingerly. "I know."

"You also know I'm gonna kick your ass after this?" The pilot asked, his shoulders tense as Taylor chuckled, his eyes remaining locked on the pilots long fingers.

"No kisses option this time?" He asked with a huff of amusement, tracing a small scar across the pilots finger.

 _"Nope."_  Jake said firmly, popping the p in deliberate exaggeration. Taylor threw Diego an accusatory glare in response, which was entirely ineffective against the olive skinned boy, as his smug friend merely shrugged and grinned with guilty pleasure.

"Yeah, okay..." Taylor sighed, rolling his eyes as he shook his head. "I deserved that." He huffed, as Jake's fingers finally grasped his own tightly. He swallowed thickly, trying but failing to resist the pull of Jake's eyes, as they burned into the top of his head. He sighed as he reluctantly rose his eyes to meet Jake's, biting his lip, only to wince at the sharp stab of pain from the already wounded area.

"I  _hate_  this plan." Jake repeated, and Taylor nodded glumly, as he pressed his forehead to the pilots chest. For a moment they were silent, and then Jake's lips presses against his ear, whispering urgently. "She favours her right side, possibly an old injury. Her left arm is her strongest, be sure to dodge it whenever you can. Throw  _everything_  you have at her, don't let her even pause to breathe, just... Just don't give her a chance to..." He advised quickly, trailing off as Taylor nodded and drew back, a Vaanti hand on his shoulder to lead him away. Jake's fingers tightened around his own, yanking him sharply into his chest again. "One last thing," he said, ducking to capture Taylors lips in a kiss which was surprisingly soft, as he swept his tongue gently across the bitten flesh. " _I hate this plan._ " He murmured, as Taylor was pulled away.

Taylor stumbled backwards, watching as Jake moved to follow him, only to be held back by the Vaanti guards surrounding them. Taylor ran his eyes over his friends, his heart clenching painfully at their concerned expressions. He mustered his resolve and smiled widely at them, winking and saluting cockily; as with a final heartfelt glance at Jake, he turned to face Seraxa.

"So, uh...  _This_  is not exactly what I had in mind..." Taylor balked, as Seraxa twirled her ornate knife expertly between her hands. She smirked, as he followed the blade with obvious concern.

"You did not specify this was to be fought without weapons." She sneered, lightly tossing the blade and catching it in her left hand. "You should have better considered your terms." She chuckled darkly, crouching low, as she prepared for their fight. "Victory shall be decided by first blood." She snarled, as the Vaanti around the chamber began to chant in eager anticipation.

 _"Hey!_  You can't bloody well do that!" Jake called across the chamber, scowling as he struggled against the Vaanti restraining the rest of Taylors friends. "You really that threatened by Boy Scout? You gotta have an advantage over him?"

"Jake, it's okay..." Taylor called, his eyes never leaving the blade in the green skinned woman's hand. "I'll be fine, you trained me, remember?" He said, and heard Jake groan in response, clearly not reassured at all by Taylors attempts.

"Hey, Green Bean!" Jake called again, scowling at Seraxa as she glanced over at him in minor interest. "How 'bout you guys just let  _me_  kick his ass instead? I can make it a real fancy show." He offered, and Taylor finally turned towards him at the desperation in his plea.

"Jake..." He murmured, their eyes meeting in a heated exchange. Taylor bit his lip, ignoring the pain the motion created, as Jake's eyes went wide suddenly.

 _"Taylor-"_  he cried, the warning clear as he launched himself against the restraining guards. Taylor immediately ducked backwards, barely avoiding the blade of Seraxa's knife as it sliced through the air where he'd stood.

 _"Whoa!"_  He gasped, dodging back as she twisted, slashing towards his chest and forcing him to dodge backwards once again. "Foul play!" He cried, ducking low to avoid her right fist, as she tried to catch him whole he was still off balance. He quickly swept his legs across the floor, forcing her to take a step back to avoid having her legs taken out from beneath her. "Lucky for me; I'm used to sneak attacks!" He said, scowling as he dove towards her with a fierce barrage of punches.

 _ **"Hrragh!**_  He growled, as he drove his fist toward her stomach, only to twist and drive his opposing fist toward her shoulder at the last moment, stunning her briefly when the shot connected and drove her back another step. He immediately moved into another flurry of attacks, his hands and feet moving quickly as he darted punches and kicks against her defenses.

Seraxa grit her teeth, shifting her stance as she deflected his attacks as best she could, her frustration evident. Taylors brow furrowed on concentration, as he aimed a kick for her left side, but quickly hopped aside before she could deflect it and landed a punch to her right shoulder instead.

However his achievement was countered, as Seraxa's elbow lashed out and connected with his jaw, knocking him back. He sniffed, before diving forward once more, throwing his all into his attacks as he'd promised his pilot he would. He dodged Seraxa's furious swings with her knife, and threw his body into hers, surprising her a moment, before she slashed quickly with her knife.

The blade glimmered, as Taylor ducked aside, and elbowed her hard in her right side. She hissed, and winced, her hand jerking towards her side briefly in obvious pain. Taylor narrowed his eyes, and considered Jake's advise to focus on her right side before he set about a furious assault towards her left side, dodging back when she twirled with a kick towards his midriff.

He panted for breath quickly, wiping his sweat soaked hair from his eyes, as he felt the onset of fatigue settle into his muscles. He sucked in a deep breath, and then charged at the war chief once more, his heart hammering as he scowled in concentration. He flew at Seraxa, his hands and feet blurring as he threw them at her in rapid succession, swinging himself to the side to dodge her attempts at retaliation. He aimed a high punch but quickly spun away when Seraxa slashed her knife out quickly to block him.

Time seemed to slow, and he was certain he could hear screaming, though he couldn't spare the glance towards the origin. He dodged around her right side, dropping a kick to her legs which she swiftly jumped, flipping over to land behind him. Taylor gasped, turning and catching sight of her raising her blade with a triumphant grin. He slid his feet around Seraxa's, twirling across the floor to her side and immediately surging upright, to grab her arm from behind her. He jerked sharply, twisting her wrist and snatching the knife from her loosened hand. As time suddenly rushed to rectify itself, Taylor pressed himself against Seraxa's back and held the tip of the blade to her throat.

For a long moment there was nothing to be heard in the chamber, beside his and Seraxa's heavy breathing, until a sudden cacophony of noise rung out around them. Taylor glanced at his friends, who were cheering ecstatically, their huge grins visible from across the chamber. His hand trembled, his throat tight as he settled his gaze onto Jake, who's relief was practically radiating from him as he stared at Taylor proudly. He turned to the sound of the Vaanti, roaring with denial and fury.

Taylor swallowed heavily, his breathing laboured as his eyes searched the chamber hurriedly, before finally locking onto Varyyn. He opened the channel between their minds, watching as Varyyn blinked in surprise.  _ **Will your people stick to the bargain? Will they let them live?**_  He asked, his eyes hardening, as he gripped the knife tighter in his hand.

 ** _I'll see to it personally_**. Varyyn replied, a respectful gleam in his eyes as he smiled tentatively towards him. _ **I-**_

 ** _Now._**  Taylor thought, gritting his teeth together as he struggled to keep his temper.  ** _Get them out now, Varyyn._**

Varyyn frowned at him, as he gestured for the guards to lead the others out.  ** _You may release Seraxa, she will not go back on her word._**

"Hey,  _hey!"_  He ignored Varyyn and glanced over as his friends struggled, resisting the Vaanti attempting to shove them out of the chamber. "Boy Scout, wha-"

"They're gonna show you outside," Taylor said firmly, "Good faith and all." He said, swallowing heavily before throwing the pilot a lopsided grin. "I'm just... gonna give them some encouragement. I'll be... right behind you." He said, panting slightly for breath, as Jake's proud expression slowly fell from his face. His light struggles increased, until he was practically throwing himself against the Vaanti, as they forced him and the others outside.

"Taylor!" The pilot called urgently, and Taylor's exterior finally cracked, as his friends were forced outside, and the doors slowly began to close. "Taylor!  _No!_  Get off'a me, ya bloody-!  _Taylor!"_

"I'm sorry." He whispered, lowering the blade from Seraxa's throat and switching it to his other hand, offering it hilt first to the Vaanti's war chief as she turned to him with wide eyes. His eyes never left Jake's, as the pilot fought to force his way back inside. Tears escaped his eyes, as he raised his other hand, showing the beads of blood which had escaped a long gash. He mouthed the words his pilot would never have heard over the noise within the chamber, and only seconds later, the doors sealed shut between them.

 ** _Make sure you keep your word Varyyn_**. _ **.. I know, you might not be able to keep them in comfort, but keep them alive.**_  He thought, glancing to the stunned Vaanti prince. He snorted, and looked up at Seraxa, who was staring at his bleeding hand with obvious surprise.

A Vaanti warrior called out from the crowd angrily, others soon joining in to create a low chant which echoed around the chamber. " **Death to the Catalyst**!" Varyyn's eyes widened, and he rushed forward suddenly, dashing to stand beside Taylor as Seraxa finally took back her knife. As she stared down at the blade with a small frown, Taylor frowned at Varyyn, as he began shouting over the crowd.

"Mother, members of the Tribunal, I would speak on this Catalysts' behalf!" He called clearly, and his mother stared in obvious shock for a moment, before her expression morphed into a furious scowl.

 _"Silence!"_  She called, and though she did not raise her voice, every Vaanti present immediately ceased their chanting. "Let my son speak." She demanded, and all heads turned to Varyyn.

"The prince has never contributed his voice at court..." Uqzhaal muttered, and Taylor frowned around the room as everyone stared at the prince with wide eyes.

"I... do not seek to sway the Tribunal's judgement, nor intervene in the bargain that was struck..." Varyyn said slowly, clearly taking his time to choose his words carefully. "Instead, I would merely share the truth as I have witnessed it." He said loudly, peering around the chamber confidently. "I have had more dealings with the Twelve... with Taylor, than any other who has testified today. While they are worthy opponents, something you have all just witnessed for yourselves... They have also avoided battle whenever possible." He said, gesturing towards a group of Vaanti beside the doors, who reluctantly nodded in agreement. "Taylor especially has gone out of his way, to attempt to bridge the gap between our people... He has often offered himself, as sacrifice for his friends; as you've seen for yourselves here today." Taylor frowned, glancing around the chamber and wondering what point the prince was trying to make. "On many occasions, I've observed them treating Vaanu," Taylor winced, massaging his temple as a bolt of pain struck him at the name, but he merely grumbled to himself as he pushed it aside, watching as Varyyn turned his earnest gaze around the chamber. "And those who dwell here, fairly and respectfully. Whether they herald Vaanu's destruction is yet uncertain... What makes it certain however, is if we deny them our help." The prince said firmly, and ripples of discussion immediately passed through the chamber, as the Vaanti reacted to Varyyn's testimony.

"Thought you didn't wanna get involved..?" Taylor murmured quietly, glancing up as the prince looked down at him.

"Diego would be sad to think I did not even try to help..." Varyyn said, his brows furrowing as he stared down at Taylor. "Why did you reveal your wound? Why did you not just harm Seraxa and claim your freedom?" He asked curiously.

Taylor sighed, looking up at the ceiling with a longing half smile. "Kinda seems like that'd only make us seem even more like the monsters your people already see us as..." He said slowly, shrugging his shoulders lightly as he looked up at Varyyn with a tired smile. "Deceit is never the right path. If I did that, I'd be no better than Rourke... the Hydra. I wish it hadn't turned out like it has, but... at least this way, the others will stand a chance that they'll be treated better." He sighed, wiping his eyes as he curled his hands together, trying to hide their trembling.

Ximaedra seemed to consider the entire matter thoughtfully, before rising with dignified grace from her throne. "You have made a bargain this day which... has not gone in your favour. Yet, you have shown courage, and honesty in the face of this tremendous event. This will not be forgotten." She said, bowing her head to him respectfully, as seraxa stepped up before him.

Taylor watched her calmly, waiting until she had almost reached him before closing his eyes and summoning his most cherished memories of his pilot, as he took a deep breath and steadied his nerve. Memories he hadn't reached in his current lifetime flitted before his eyes, quickly replaced by his more recently made memories from his own timeline. He frowned, expecting to feel the familar resignation which came with thinking he would shortly awaken on the plane, and instead finding only a serene sense of finality. He sighed, feeling the tip of Seraxa's blade against his chest.

When it did not move for several long seconds, Taylor finally cracked his eyes open, to see the knife held to his chest lightly. "Uh..."

"Why did you hesitate?" Seraxa demanded, scowling heavily at him, as she tightened her grip on the blade.

"Uh, because it was already over..." Taylor hedged, his heart hammering against his ribs, as Seraxa grit her teeth.

"You could have ended my life." She insisted, and Taylor leaned backwards as the war chief practically growled at him. "Why did you only stall-"

"Because I didn't want them to see!" Taylor cried, scowling up at the Vaanti in frustration. "I didn't want them to see..." He repeated, his throat constricting, as he lowered his eyes and tried to swallow down his grief.

For a moment there was silence, a thick and heavy thing which seemed to crawl over Taylor skin like a sentient being. Finally, Seraxa growled and leaned towards him. "I would not have hesitated to take your life, had I defeated you fairly." She said reluctantly, before removing the blade from his chest. "Elyyshar, I... rescind my demands for the deaths of the Catalysts. While I do not believe in them, nor trust them... They have proven their devotion to each other. It is a... respect worthy trait. I vote that the Catalysts be detained; but their lives may be spared."

Taylor held his breath, half expecting the knife to suddenly slam into his chest. When no such action was forthcoming, he peeked up, to find Seraxa returned to her place on the dais; her irritation obvious far more than her grudging resect. He choked on a hysterical giggle, slapping a hand over his mouth as he looked with wide eyes towards Ximaedra, who considered the new recommendation of her war chief briefly before addressing the chamber.

"I have reached a decision, regarding the charges against the Twelve Catalysts." She announced in a clear, calm voice. "Catalyst," she began, before glancing at Varyyn briefly, "Taylor; the threat you pose to the island, and our way of life is unquestionable... However, I believe that the fate of the Vaanti may yet depend upon you."

"You'll let them...  _us,_  go?" Taylor asked hopefully, finally lowering his hand from his mouth as he stared hopefully at the Elyyshar.

Ximaedra met his gaze for a long, heavy pause, before she reluctantly shook her head. "No." She said, her expression regretful as she straightened and raised her voice. "For our safety, and your own, I must hereby order your immediate imprisonment on Sharktooth Isle."

 _"Imprisonment?!"_  Taylor yelped, his eyes wide as he stared up at the Elyyshar in surprise.

"It may be of little comfort..." Ximaedra continued, as she clasped her hands before her robes. "But at least you will be safe there, whole we seek to bring Raan'losti to a peaceful end."

"Oh man... The others are not gonna be happy about this." Taylor sighed, wincing as he turned towards the doors, uncertain of the reception he was to receive. Varyyn bowed to his mother, leading Taylor away by the elbow, as Vaanti guards began to pull open the heavy doors.

"Hey, Varyyn?" Taylor asked, his heart seeming to skip every other beat as they approached the slowly opening doors. "Thanks... I uh, appreciate the help."

Varyyn frowned, drawing to a halt and causing Taylor to have to stop himself. "I... did you a great ill." The Vaanti said in a rush, his golden eyes haunted as they peered down at him, and Taylor frowned in confusion. "When we raided the hotel, we sought only to capture the Catalysts' of legend... I did bot understand then, that you were also people." He explained, as Taylor lowered his gaze. "I... am glad, you used my timepiece-"

"I didn't." Taylor said softly, shaking his head minutely. "This... lifetime, I was the one who died. It must have been Jake who..."

"I, cannot imagine the hatred you must feel for me..." Varyyn said slowly, his long ears seeming to sag with his dejection. "If I have taken someone so clearly important to you... How many times?" He asked curiously.

"I don't know..." Taylor admitted with a sigh, running his hand through his hair and grimacing at its gritty texture. "I don't exactly have a handle on everything... My head is so jumbled sometimes. It's just, feelings mostly. The memories just kind of overlap when I'm least expecting them... Usually when I'm.."

"Emotionally overwhelmed?" Varyyn asked, frowning thoughtfully. At Taylors hesitant nod, he hummed and considered briefly, before apparently making a decision. "There is a way we may be able to help you regain your past memories in a far safer way. It will not be easy, but I will help you, if I can."

"Why are you-?"

"Because I have done you and your partner harm I did not intend, and if there is a way which I may repent for that, I would like to do so." Varyyn explained, guessing Taylors question. "For now, we must-"

 _"Taylor!"_  Taylor turned to see his friends gathered together, a contingency of Vaanti guards holding them back with raised weapons. He grinned, his heart lightening as he waved at their excited babbles, his feet carrying him towards them eagerly. His eyes darted over Diego's tearful face, to Quinn, Lila, Michelle and Grace, who were cheering enthusiastically. Zahra and Craig were doing what appeared to be performing a strange combination of dancing and fist bumping, which Taylor decided to ignore entirely, feeling oddly like he was intruding. Estela, Sean and Aleister all stood stoically, though they visibly relaxed upon seeing him, their relief palpable. Taylor frowned, his eyes searching fir the face he most desired to see, and found him at last, his back to the group as he stared out to sea. Biting his lip, Taylor walked over and stopped hesitantly behind the pilot, fidgeting briefly; before he took a deep breath, and wrapped his arms around loosely around Jake's chest.

"I told ya'll to leave me the hell alone." Jake muttered tiredly, his voice thick as he kept his eyes locked on the distance.

Taylor frowned, and squeezed his arms around Jake's chest slightly as he pressed a chase kiss to the pilots shoulder. "But if I go away, you can't kick my ass..." He said, withdrawing his arms from Jake's chest as the pilot tensed. He stepped back, as Jake whirled around, his eyes wide as he ran them over Taylor in disbelief.

"I thought..." The pilot stammered, hos words failing him as he swallowed heavily, his bound hands raising to brush his fingers against Taylors cheek, as if seeking proof he was actually real.

"Yeah," Taylor huffed, capturing Jake's hands with his own and pressing a lingering kiss to his fingers. "Me too..." He said quietly, a shuddering sigh escaping him. "But uh, apparently I've got some 'respect worthy traits' or something..." He rambled, his fingers gently untying the bindings around Jake's wrists. "Although I gotta admit, this has kinda made me... a little hesitant to keep jumping in without a plan. I was wondering if you maybe wanted to start working togeth-  _mmph!"_

Taylor was silenced by the pilots lips colliding with his own, as he cupped his cheeks with his recently freed hands. Taylor melted against him, his heart pounding right alongside Jake's as the pilot poured his every fear, concern and relief into his desperate kiss. Taylor gasped, his body arching against Jake's, as the pilot scraped his teeth over his injured lip. He yelped, but only clung tighter, his arms raising around the pilots shoulders as he lost track of everything that wasn't Jake's lips against his own.

When the pilot finally released him, it was to press their foreheads together, his fingers tracing Taylors kiss swollen and injured lip.  _"Please,_  Taylor..." Jake murmured, his voice hoarse as he traced his clear eyes over Taylors face. "No more death matches, 'kay?"

Taylor huffed a dry laugh, closing his eyes as he nodded his acquiescence. "No more death matches." He agreed, drawing away as he heard Aleister begin to yell. "Aw,  _crap..._  Come on, Top Gun." He said, lacing his fingers with Jake's and dragging him to the others.

"You have  _no right_  to imprison us!" Aleister fumed, his face twisted into a furious snarl as he glared at Seraxa scornfully. "As travelers, our right to safety and agency are protected by international law!"

"This might actually be the best we could hope for..." Lila conceded thoughtfully.

"What the hells goin' on, Boy Scout?" Jake asked quietly, glancing at him with a raised brow, as the Vaanti began shepherding them through the village towards what appeared to be a small dock.

"Seraxa conceded the death penalty, but still thought us dangerous." Taylor explained, grinning in amusement as his friends all took a turn to rest their hands on his arm or shoulder briefly. "As a result... Ximaedra has uh, ordered our imprisonment."

"Well," Jake sighed, squeezing Taylors hand firmly. "It's better than what I was expectin' to find when those doors reopened..." He admitted, and Taylor pressed closer against the pilots side in reassurance.

"Ah, **natala dril arkharu**..." Uqzhaal sighed, shaking his head as he hobbled alongside them, disturbing their conversation. "Such a grievous day!" He said, as they were forcibly escorted through the streets by Seraxa and her armed guards.

As they were being led out of the village, heading toward the small dock at the base of the great tree, Taylor noticed a strange child begin walking beside him.

" **I'm not afraid of you**." The child said, looking up at him with a fierce expression that made Taylor laugh.

"You're not, huh? Well, that's good to hear..." Taylor sniggered, winking at the boy. "Seems like you're braver than most of the adults here then, hey?" He asked, causing the child to giggle behind his hand.

The boy waved after him, as Taylors group was led down a winding staircase. Grinning, Taylor waved back enthusiastically, ignoring Jake's snort of amusement from beside him. "Cattle... list!" The child called, and Taylor paused as he frowned up at him.

"Huh?" He wondered aloud, before he laugh in realization. "Oh, almost! Cat-a-lyst." He sniggered, continuing down the stairs at Jake's gentle tug, and a Vaanti's not so gentle shove.

"Cat-all-is?" The boy called uncertainly, and Taylor laughed at his genuinely adorable innocence. "Come back soon, Cat-all-is!" The boy called, grinning widely at him, as Taylor descended the final steps and proceeded towards the dock.

The Vaanti herded his group of friends into a small boat, and began to sail them across the calm waters. All too soon they were bound for a distant islet, and Taylors gut clenched in nervous anticipation, as he exchanged heated glances with his pilot. He was surprised to find both Uqzhaal and Varyyn accompanying the guards escorting them, but ultimately ignored their presence, instead focusing on Jake's side as he tiredly leaned against him.

"Where are you taking us?" Sean demanded again, though Taylor had lost count of how many times he had asked along the way.  _"Answer_  me!"

"Sharktooth Isle..." Uqzhaal finally sighed at last, his disapproval obvious from the dejected set of his shoulders. "It is a place of exile. Those who set foot upon its shores, will never return to Vaanu." He explained sadly, shaking his head slowly.

"And so, we reap the folly of island justice." Aleister sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Taylor, look at this!" Diego called, his eyes wide as he jostled Taylors shoulder. Taylor glanced over to see his best friend pointing into the water, where a school of large, dark fish were visible, swimming alongside the boat. Taylor felt his heart lurch suddenly, but before he could move, Varyyn had gently reached out to pull Diego's arm back into the boat. "Wha-"

"Trust me when I say, Varyyn just did you a massive favour." Taylor snorted, burrowing back into the pilots shoulder, as Jake's thumb swept over his hand gently.

"Uh, they're  _fish..."_  Zahra scoffed, rolling her eyes. "It's not like they're going to get offended."

"No." Varyyn said softly, shaking his head. "It's dangerous." He added, as he removed a feather from his braided topknot, and dropped it over the side of the boat. Taylor shuddered, scowling as the fish surged into motion. In a flash, two of them had torn the feather to shreds with razor sharp teeth.

"Dude..." Diego said slowly, his eyes raising to Taylors, wide with awe and fear alike. "My hand was almost a supporting cast member in a remake of Piranha three-D!" He cried, as Taylor merely raised a brow and smirked at him.  _"Thanks,_  Varyyn!"

"Of course." Varyyn responded quietly, though Taylor could hear the barely masked pain in his voice. He glanced at the Vaanti, who met his gaze for a brief moment, before looking back at Diego for what time he had left with him.

"The klaawyi eat anything that crosses these waters..." Uqzhaal commented, and Craig immediately perked, looking at the fish with narrowed eyes. Taylor snorted in amusement, knowing the jock was looking to see if he could see just how ugly the klaawyi's butt was. "The wood of our boats is coated with a rare sap that they find poisonous, else this vessel would soon be torn apart."

"Of  _course_  there are wood eating barracuda's here..." Jake sighed, as he shook his head in dejection. "Why wouldn't there be?" He snorted, and Taylor squeezed his hand gently as he yawned widely.

As the shaman turned to gaze out across the sea, Taylor glimpsed a strange tattoo on his back, and he sat up quickly at the sense of unease the tattoo sparked in his gut. He narrowed his eyes as he examined what appeared to be a depiction of a mountain, with a face jutting out of the side. "So what's the story with your back tat?" Zahra asked, noticing Taylors interest.

"A symbol of the Old Faith..." Uqzhaal said slowly, eyeing her briefly before shaking his head dismissively. "It would be difficult to explain to you, Catalyst."

"It's to do with The Endless, Snape." Taylor said, and Uqzhaal turned towards him quickly, his eyes brightening at the mention of the name.

He began to reverently recite something in the native Vaanti tongue, and after a moment Taylor was able to understand, thanks to his link with Varyyn's mind. " **Twelve before the door, standing silent guard."**

"Uh, what's he saying?" Michelle asked cautiously, eyeing the shaman distrustfully.

" **At the base of the mountain, the One begins**..." Uqzhaal concluded, before smiling over at Michelle. "It is the legend of the Threshold, a place I've etched into my skin." The shaman explained.

"The Threshold..." Taylor murmured, gnawing his lip nervously as he felt his gut churn with discomfort. "It's a place; a cave, kind of... On the slope of the volcano..." He said, starting slightly as Jake slowly drew him against his side again.

"No mysteries for tonight." He murmured, and Taylor felt an immense rush of relief and affection towards his pilot. He curled against Jake's side, content to reassure the other man of his safety and take comfort from his presence for the remainder of the journey.

"It is indeed!" Uqzhaal said, beaming at Taylor in obvious pride, until his crimson eyes dimmed suddenly, and his face fell as he sighed. "But it no longer matters. Now that we may never see the prophecies of The Endless fulfilled..." He said, and Taylor snorted and smiled secretively into Jake's side, already certain that Sharktooth Isle was not where their journey was about to end. He watched, his expression turning serious, as Uqzhaal hobbled abruptly towards Quinn.

"Huh..?" The redhead balked, jerking away as he bent down and narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.

 _"...Mm."_  He hummed speculatively, drawing away from her with a sigh. "No, no, not good. I sense that a withering has taken root in you... If left untended, it may soon claim your life!"

"Uh, I don't... know what you're talking about..." Quinn mumbled, everyone's gaze as they turned to look at her as one.

"I think you do." Michelle said quietly, as Taylor rolled his eyes and glanced up to see Jake watching him. He winked at the pilot, who snorted and shook his head as he returned his attention to Quinn. "The way you collapsed in the rainforest yesterday? Something's going on, Quinn."

The redhead grimaced, meeting Taylors eyes, as he nodded and gestured for her to tell them. She sighed, turning to look put at the deceptively calm waters. "Please promise me you guys won't be shocked or sad..." She said quietly, and Taylor snorted at her choice of words, which were guaranteed to see everyone worry.

"It's  _that_  bad?" Diego asked, his eyes wide as looked over at her in concern.

"I..." Quinn hesitated, drawing a deep breath as she met Taylors gaze, as he reached out and held her hand supportively. "I have a condition, called... Rotterdam's Syndrome. It's an auto immune disease..." She said quietly, her shoulders seeming to sag with the weight of her confession. She looked around the clearly stunned faces, grimacing as she lowered her eyes to Taylors hand between her own. "There's no cure." She mumbled reluctantly.

A heavy silence fell over everyone, as they processed Quinn's confession. "When were you diagnosed?" Michelle demanded, her expression determined as she clearly began running through her medical training for anything she might know about the disease.

"When I was four." Quinn said quietly, seeming somewhat lighter now she had finally admitted the truth of her condition, despite her lingering reluctance. "My parents tried everything... My dad spent the last of his life savings on an experimental treatment, which actually made it go away... until a few weeks ago." She said, clutching Taylors hand desperately between her own, in a vain effort to keep them from shaking. Tears began to stream down her face, and Taylor felt Jake release hos other hand, so he could shift his position and pull the redhead into a gentle hug. "I'm going to die." She confessed, looking around them all as Taylor softly tangled his fingers in her long hair. "In the next six months... or, maybe sooner."

"Oh, Quinn!" Michelle gasped, covering her mouth with her hands before she move forward to gather Quinn into her own hug. "Taylor, how can you be smiling like that..?!" She demanded in a hiss, and Taylor chuckled as the small hitch of his lips grew.

"Because if there's one thing I've learnt about this island, it's that nothing goes the way it's planned to. This place is full of all sorts of miracles." He said quietly, offering Quinn a wink as he gently poked her nose. "I can just feel it; we'll find a way to cure you."

"I appreciate it, Taylor..." Quinn giggled softly, though Taylor could see in her eyes that she wasn't convinced. "Even if there were something though... I don't think I have enough time left to find it." She said, shaking her head as she reached over and grabbed his hand, and squeezing it gratefully.

"Her branch is nearing its end." Uqzhaal warned sadly, worrying his lip nervously. "It is the natural course of things..."

"Boy Scout's right." Jake said, scooting over to sit beside him and gather Quinn's hands into his own. "You're one of us, Red. We all got into thus together, and we're getting out of it together." He said, jostling Taylors shoulder lightly. "We'll find ourselves another miracle on Exile Isle." He sniggered, drawing a giggle from the redhead.

"We'd never turn our backs on you!" Diego promised, settling a hand on her shoulder in reassurance.

"Thanks, everyone." Quinn giggled, looking around at everyone with a fond smile. She opened her mouth to say more, when two Vaanti leapt into the shallows suddenly and quickly guided their boat ashore.

"We have arrived." Uqzhaal sighed, looking around with a weary expression.  _"This..._  is Sharktooth Isle."

"This is where you guys put prisoners?" Craig cried, his eyes wide as he examined the dark shores. "It totally looks like-"

"The final level of  _Dino Melee._ " Zahra agreed, bumping her fist against his unthinkingly, as they both looked around distractedly. "Graphics on ultra."

 _"Exac-"_  Craig hesitated, as the pair looked at each other, suddenly realizing their proximity and conversation. "Er, naw, I was gonna say... somethin' else."

Taylor discreetly guided the others away from Diego, as Varyyn stepped up beside his best friend, giving them a small degree of privacy. "I am  _sorry,_  Diego..." The blue skinned man apologized, his expression torn as he swallowed thickly. "I must leave you here."

"It's not  _your_  fault!" Diego protested, his eyes wide as he looked up ay the Vaanti. His expression softened, falling as he looked down fiddles with his open shirt. "Um, your English is getting really good, by the way..." He said hesitantly, peeking up at Varyyn shyly. "Keep... keep working on it." He said, his gaze heavy with regret as the Vaanti looked sadly at the shore beyond the small boat.

"Yes." Varyyn said, nodding firmly as his golden eyes shimmered with emotion. "I promise to do so." The Vaanti looked met Diego's eyes, and reached up to grip his shoulder in a sad farewell. The guards escorted them off the boat, and Uqzhaal leaned heavily upon his staff as he gazed down at Taylor.

"It has truly, been an honour, Catalysts." The shaman said, as Taylor felt the niggle of a foreign memory in the back of his mind. He prodded at it, but received only a hazy image, too blurred to be recognizable. He felt the sense of hope the image elicited in his gut though, and he smiled as Jake's hand slid into his own, squeezing it encouragingly. "Perhaps one day, upon another branch of the Great Tree, we shall meet again.  **Stars guide you."**

Taylor frowned, something about the expression in Uqzhaal's native tongue bothering him, but immediately shaking the feeling aside in favour of smirking at Varyyn.  _ **See ya soon**_. He sniggered as Varyyn blinked at the thought he sent along their link, clearly confused about his meaning. Taylor waved, as the Vaanti guided their ship back into the sea, and he watched it drift into the distance. "See ya later, alligator..." He sing-songed, laughing as Varyyn and Uqzhaal exchanged confused glances. He turned to find everyone staring at him with various expressions of disbelief, and he shrugged as he offered them a grin. "What can I say... After everything else we've seen and been through, I just don't see us being stranded here too long..." He said, chuckling as his friends rolled their eyes at him.

"It's getting late..." Jake said, distracting everyone from Taylors tired giggles as he gestured along the beach. "We should find a place to set up camp."

"Um..." Grace gasped, her wide eyes locked onto something behind them. "How about  _there?"_  She suggested, pointing towards an imposing three story manor, overlooking the shore.

"... That'll do." The pilot conceded after a brief pause, ignoring Taylors amusement as he tugged him towards the building by their joined hands.

"Wow, it's beautiful!" Quinn gasped, as they trekked up the broken staircase to the manor. "Or, at least... it  _was."_

"Um, what exactly is this place?" Michelle asked worriedly, eyeing the building distrustfully.

"Looks like the set of a soap opera." Diego replied, looking around with interest at the balconied windows above the main entrance. "Or, maybe Jack Sparrow's hideout."

"I think it's our new home..." Jake said, glancing down at Taylor as he sniggered. "For now, at least." He added, shaking his head as he lead Taylor inside. "You guys see what you can find, I'm gonna put Boy Scout to bed." The pilot said, ignoring the giggles and catcalls everyone threw at them, as he lead Taylor up the nearby staircase and into the first bedroom he found.

Jake dragged Taylor to the bed, and he laid down obediently at the pilots raised brow. As Jake turned to leave however, Taylor whined and snatched at his departing hand, tugging him sharply and pulling him down on top of him. "Hmm, not exactly my intention..." Taylor giggled, as he shifted himself beneath the pilot. "But I definitely prefer the result."

"Oh no, Boy Scout..." Jake chuckled, raising himself to sit beside Taylor. "You need to  _sleep."_

"I happen to know an  _excellent_  way to get me to sleep..." Taylor suggested, waggling his eyebrows as he toyed with Jake's dog tags.

"I'll bet," Jake snorted, his gaze softening with amusement. "Consider it a forfeit, for bein' such a idiot." He sniggered, as Taylor sighed and dramatically threw his arm over his eyes.

"This is  _so_  unfair." He complained, before finally removing his arm from his eyes and peering up at the pilot as he worried his lip. "Fine, I accept... I probably deserve a lot worse. But, that said..." He murmured, reaching over to lace his fingers with Jake's. "Please just... don't go?" He asked softly, wincing as his injured lip stung beneath the fresh assault from his teeth.

Jake swallowed thickly, his eyes on their linked hands as he studied Taylors wounded hand. "Gotta say, Boy Scout, twice in a day is a little much... even for you." He finally sighed, nudging Taylor over and laying down beside him.

"I know..." Taylor murmured, pressing a lingering kiss to the pilots shoulder. He glanced up, as Jake's thumb swept gently over his wounded lip, and his breath caught at the raw expression on the pilots face.

"No more solo suicide missions, 'kay, Boy Scout?" Jake asked quietly, his clear eyes seeming to drink on every detail of Taylor he could.

Taylor nodded, raising their linked hands and pressing a promising kiss to the pilots long fingers, before looking up with a smile. "You got it, Top Gun." He said, chuckling when Jake huffed at him.

They held each others gaze, content in the comfortable silence which surrounded them. Slowly, Jake leaned closer, pressing a soft and chaste kiss to Taylors injured lip. Taylor felt his heart lurch, as he pressed himself closer to the pilot, gently urging him to extend their kiss. Jake's hand fell to Taylors hip, his fingers brushing beneath his shirt, as they dug into his soft skin. Despite his attempts to still Taylors movements however, his lips parted, his kiss intensifying in its urgency.

Taylor groaned, as Jake's tongue pressed against his own, a rush of desire racing through him as he curled his arm around the pilot and drew him closer, his fingers buried themselves in his hair. He gasped for breath between hungry kisses, his back arching as he pressed himself with increasing urgency against Jake, his body yearning for the pilots hands to be everywhere at once.

"Mm, Taylor..." Jake murmured, drawing back reluctantly as he panted heavily to catch his breath.  _"Wait,_  this isn't-"

"No, no,  _no..._  that sounds like a stopping comment. Stopping is bad..." Taylor mumbled, attempting to encourage the pilot on with light and pleading kisses along his stubbled jaw. "Very, very, bad, bad,  _bad..."_  He whispered, as he licked at Jake's pulse point in his throat, before grazing his teeth over the area.

"Shit... You can be... pretty damn convincing when you wannabe..." Jake groaned, his voice strained as his grip tightened on Taylors waist. Taylor felt a rush of victory, as Jake's hand slid almost imperceptibly lower, certain his persuasion skills had won the battle for him. "You weren't kiddin' 'bout charming peoples clothes off were ya?" Jake growled thickly, as Taylor nipped at his collarbone.

"Only you..." Taylor murmured, before he fell still suddenly, overcome by a huge yawn. His eyes widened by the time he'd finally finished, and he groaned at the knowing look on the pilots face. "Aw,  _shit."_  He sighed, throwing himself back on the bed and glaring at the ceiling high above them. "I can  _not_  believe that just happened." He groaned pitifully, covering his face as he felt his embarrassment hit him hard.

"I-"

"If you say 'I told you so,' so help me, I will  _never_  let you fuck me again." Taylor promised, eyeing Jake's amused grin with a hard glare.

"Considerin' the way you were just behaving I find that threat highly doubtful, Boy Scout." Jake sniggered, and Taylor sighed in reluctant agreement.

"Was kinda pushin' it I guess..." Taylor admitted with a chuckle, shaking his head as he yawned again. "Cock blocked by my own body... I am  _never_  gonna forgive myself for this." He complained.

"I was gonna say, 'It can wait,' before you got all feisty." Jake murmured, dipping to press a trail of amused kisses along Taylors jaw.

"Hmm," Taylor hummed, grinning as he yawned widely and curled back into the pilots embrace. "You really  _are_  smooth..." He muttered, as his eyes fluttered closed. He heard Jake chuckle, but if the pilot said anything further, his words were lost to the haze of sleep which claimed him.

For once, Taylor did not dream, consumed as he was by exhaustion. Instead he awoke some time later, pleased to note that he felt much improved from when he'd unwillingly dozed off. He was less pleased to find himself alone, pouting at the distinct lack of a pilot laying beside him. He groaned and rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling dejectedly.  _This has been the craziest twenty four hours ever... ever, ever, ever._.. He thought to himself, sighing as he pushed himself upright and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He grimaced as he ran a hand through his hair, taking note of the gritty texture and dried blood with a faint groan of disgust.

"Thought you'd be out for another coupla hours, yet..." Jake's quiet voice drifted over, and he turned to see the pilot offering him a bottle of water which he grabbed for gratefully. He quickly uncapped and drained the bottle, moaning at the immediate sense of refreshment.

"Okay, wow... Water never tasted so good." Taylor sighed, chuckling quietly as he shook his head and recalled Jake saying the same thing at the lake; before the time loop reset again. He pushed to his feet, and pressed a kiss to Jake's cheek quickly, only for the pilot to snag his waist as he made to move away.

"Hmm, that was some pretty high end water, Boy Scout..." Jake said, turning to cage Taylor against the wall and pressing closer to him, as Taylor fought a grin. "I think it cost a little more than that." The pilot said, sighing in faux remorse.

"Really? Huh, I'm not sure what else I have on me at the moment..." Taylor hummed, breaking into a giggle despite his best efforts, as Jake leaned in and nipped his ear. "Do you accept, alternative payment methods..?"

"I'm a reasonable fella," Jake murmured, and Taylor giggled as he felt his scratch small kisses along his jaw. "I'm always open to negotiations..."

"Oh,  _really?"_  Taylor laughed, drawing back to find the pilot grinning, as he leaned after him.

"Yup, damn fine o' me, I know." Jake muttered, and Taylor giggled as the pilot finally gave up the game and surged forward to capture his lips in a heated kiss. Taylor slid his hands up Jake's arms, his fingers tangling in his hair as he pulled him closer, his heart light at their playful encounter. He groaned as Jake ran his tongue over his lip, gently deepening the kiss as he pressed him back against the wall.

"Hey, there are other people present!" Zahra called, and Taylor laughed, as Jake groaned and dropped his head to Taylors shoulder. "You realise there's shit we need to discuss, now that Taylors awake..?"

"Really...  _really_  hates me..." The pilot muttered, sighing as he reluctantly drew back and gestured towards the door. "Come on then, Boy Scout, let's see what she wants this time." He grumbled, as Taylor sniggered and walked out into the hall. He followed Jake's directions and made it back to the manor's once resplendent foyer, where he found the others waiting for them.

"Alright, as you can see Boy Scout, we've managed to get the oil lanterns burning, so at least we  _can_  see." Jake explained, gesturing to several of the lanterns in question.

"What he  _means_  by that," Diego snorted, ignoring Jake's huff of frustration. "Is that he barked at us every so often, between checking up on you." He sniggered, as Taylor walked over and nudged his shoulder playfully. "Most of us actually grabbed some rest while we could... Our best guess is that its been around three hours."

"Wow... Is this place for real?" Taylor gasped, as he looked around the foyer, realising he'd barely seem it the night before.

"That's what I said..." Sean chuckled dryly, gesturing to a slashed painting up at the top of the staircase. "That and wondering who might've lived here."

"This is a jail cell built for a king, bro!" Craig grinned, and Taylor felt a rush of affection for the jock, realising that by being imprisoned; his wish to not go home had already been granted.

"It's Rourke who belongs here, not us." Estela growled, glaring around the manor as if it personally, was to blame for their current situation.

Taylor shook his head at the dark haired girl, knowing that no prison would ever hold Rourke. He turned away, and caught movement from the corner of his eye. He frowned as he noticed Aleister wandering off towards the far corner of the room and glanced at Grace, to find her watching the pale boy worriedly.

"He looks really upset..." Grace mumbled, keeping her voice low so as not to attract the others attention. "Maybe we should go talk to him, Taylor..." Without even replying, Taylor held out his hand and helped the dark skinned girl to her feet, and together they quickly made their way over to Aleister.

"Hi, Aleister..." Grace said hesitantly, her fingertips dancing together in a nervous pattern. "Taylor and I, we just wanted to see how you were doing..."

"Taylor has only just woken up after several harrowing events... you should really still be sleeping, or failing that  _resting._  Not;  _wasting_  your efforts with my well-being." Aleister huffed, his frustration clear as Grace and Taylor exchanged brief glances. When it became apparent neither of them were about to leave, Aleister scowled, and turned away. "I can't  _believe_  I trusted my father, after everything he's done..." He fumed, and Taylor felt his heart throb for the other boys pain, as he finally vented the toxic feelings he'd been stewing in. "He's been playing us since before we even landed on La Huerta."

"I can't imagine how you must feel right now, Aleister..." Taylor said quietly, as Aleister picked up a chair and hurled it against the far wall. "But, I hope you know; I don't blame you for your fathers actions..."

 _"Bastard!"_  Aleister roared, ignoring Taylor entirely. " _The next time I'll see him I'll-_ " The pale boy froze suddenly, as he noticed Grace startle in fright. "I'm... I didn't mean to..." He muttered, looking down at his hands as shame flooded his face briefly.

"Aleister..." Taylor murmured, stepping forward to rest his hands over the pale boys, encouraging him to meet his eyes. "This is what Rourke wants. Look... we're  _all_  furious with Rourke-"

 _"Very."_  Grace interjected before he could finish, nodding firmly in confirmation. Taylor grinned, covering his mouth with his hand as Grace scowled a moment, before looking up at Aleister softly. "But Taylors right... Based on his actions so far, he probably wants us emotional and out of control."

"Astute observation, Grace." Aleister finally replied, after taking several moments to consider. "I've...  _We've_ , been pawns in his game for long enough." Hw growled, as Grace stepped up beside him and patted his back sympathetically.

"We're here for you,  _always."_  Grace said, her cheeks staining with a blush as she bit her lip shyly.

"I can't imagine why, but... thank you, Grace." Aleister said quietly, and Taylor rolled his eyes, sniggering as the pair stared at each other for a long moment, before suddenly seeming to remember he was there. "And, er, thank you as well, Taylor." Aleister added awkwardly.

"Oh no, this was all Grace, in fact; I'm not actually here, I'm still with the others..." Taylor teased, sniggering at himself, as Aleister rolled his eyes and Grace giggled behind her hand.

"Alright crew," Sean called, drawing their attention back to the main group. "We need a new plan. There's gotta be some way off this isle, right?" The athlete asked, and Taylor nodded, frowning in concentration as he once again saw a hazy image in his mind of something which he felt certain; was drawing ever closer to them. "Diego," Sean called, jolting Taylor out of his thoughts. "Have you heard any talk about this place?"

"You know..." Diego replied, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Varyyn was telling me about something really unusual, here on this isle... It's called the  _Singing Cliffs_." He continued, and Taylor frowned as his friend cast a sly glance towards him. "He says the Vaanti go there to hear the voice of La Huerta itself."

 _"Great."_  Jake scoffed, digging in his pack for a moment, before drawing out a bottle of whiskey he'd stashed inside. "Maybe it'll have some ideas on how to out-swim a strait full if bloodthirsty fish." He snorted, saluting with his bottle as he uncapped it and took a large swig.

"You never know." Diego said, grinning broadly in a way which had Taylor narrowing his eyes in suspicion. "The Vaanti believe that the island speaks a unique message to each individual who visits the area." Taylor shivered, something about the mere thought of a message from the island giving him goosebumps alone his arms.

"The Singing Cliffs..." Quinn repeated, a smile blossoming across her face as she looked around them all. "If it's half as pretty as the name, I'm in! Maybe it'll even inspire me to do some painting."

"Sounds interesting." Sean admitted, running a hand over his shirt hair with a sigh. "I could use some fresh air after the day we've had."

Taylor glanced at Diego, as his friend elbowed him hard, and winked at him suggestively. "It's also supposed to be  _really romantic._.." He whispered excitedly, grinning unrepentantly as Taylor rubbed at his side.

"Yeah, I can see Jake is practically foaming at the mouth, with the desire to go." Taylor sniggered, as Diego turned to see Jake chuckling and taking a deep swig of his whiskey, evidently ignoring the hopeful looks toward his bottle from both Craig and Zahra.

"Hey, you'll never know if you don't ask." Diego said, waggling his eyebrows as he nudged Taylors side again.

"Yes,  _yes_  I do." Taylor laughed, watching fondly as Jake scowled at Zahra especially, hiding his whiskey in the crook of his arm.  _"That_  is a man who has absolutely  _no_  desire to get up and visit a cliff." He sniggered, shaking his head as he looked away from the pilot. His eyes fell on Quinn, and he thought about how hard it must have been for her to admit to her illness at last. Without thinking any further, he offered his hand to the redhead and raised a brow, laughing when she squealed excitedly and threw her arms around his neck.

"If I remember correctly, it's just south of here, through the trees." Diego said, scratching his head thoughtfully.

"Uh huh..." Taylor hummed, looking Diego over with a sly glance. "And uh, is there some  _reason,_  that Varyyn was telling you about this super cool, super weird, super  _romantic_  place..?" He asked innocently, laughing when Diego turned red.

"Wha-?  _No!"_  Diego flustered, shaking his head quickly as Taylor raised a brow at him.  _"No!_  It was just a, totally random thing we happened to discuss while, talking about his home land one day... Nothing,  _desirable_  about it _. At. All_." He said firmly, coughing as he avoided meeting Taylors gaze.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Taylor sniggered, shaking his head as Quinn tugged at his arm. Without giving Diego a chance to defend himself further, Taylor headed out the back exit with Quinn, quickly jogging into the trees at the end of what once, must have been a beautiful garden. After only a few minutes, they were making their way southward through a forested region of the isle.

"This, is  _so_  exciting!" Quinn gasped, practically bouncing as as they made their way towards the cliffs. "For all the dangers we've faced on La Huerta, there are just as many amazing sights to see..." She said, sighing to release a deep breath.

"It's all the more beautiful with you in it," Taylor hummed softly, laughing when Quinn's cheeks puffed out and turned a vibrant shade of red.

"Thank you..." She mumbled, peeking up at him through her lashes. "You know what they say about flattery, though..." She teased, as she recovered slightly.

"That it'll get you everywhere?" Taylor laughed, grinning widely as he thought about flattering Jake right out of his pants. Quinn giggled as they walked along, reaching over to take Taylors hand in hers, as she shook her head at him. "You were real brave earlier, telling everyone about your-"

"No, I wasn't..." Quinn said quietly, shaking her head as she frowned. "I was caught out. Being brave, would have been to tell them because I chose to. I should have done that when you first said... yesterday..? Oh my  _god,_  is that all it was?" She gasped, and Taylor laughed as he squeezed her hand.

"Worse, I don't even think it was a full twelve hours ago yet..." He said, as Quinn sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"Time really doesn't stick to the rules here, does it?" She grumbled, as Taylor shook his head viciously, thinking of his trip to the observatory. "Well," Quinn sighed, squeezing his hand as she brushed her melancholy aside. "At any rate, I'm actually really glad I finally told them... It's like, I finally put down this giant burden I've been dragging around since we got here." She said with a soft smile, looking at a small river which babbled quietly beside them. "I didn't  _mean_  to be so secretive! I just... I knew as soon as I did tell anyone, my illness would define me." She explained, glancing over at him as her cheeks tonged with pink again. "But you showed me different, Taylor... I don't know how, but you knew somehow... Yet, you never pushed me for details, or treated me any different... I should have trusted the others to do the same." She said, biting her lip as she looked up at the oath ahead of them. "And now... now, you've taught me that no one thing could ever define me."

Taylor was about to reply, when an ethereal melody reached his ears, carried by the wind. Immediately, his head felt as if it were about to implode.  _"Nyngh!"_  He gasped, dropping to his knees as he clutched his head between his hands.

"Taylor!" Quinn cried, dropping to the ground beside him as she grabbed his shoulders and tried to raise his eyes to hers.  _"Taylor!_  What is it?!"

"The voices..." Taylor whispered, as his mind slowly conjured an image from deep within his subconscious. "The voices, they whisper... when they whisper, you must listen. When you listen...  _Argggh!"_  He cried, hunching forward and digging his fingers into the ground. He felt Quinn trying to gain his attention, but was drawn instead to the memory in his head; of a crystallized pillar. Tall, and beautiful, it seemed to radiate with it's own vitality. From within, Taylor could hear whispering; but the voices were too tangled to decipher the words they wished to convey.

Suddenly, Taylor drew in a deep and ragged breath, his throat tight, as if he'd just been winded.  _"Gah!"_  He gasped, his heart hammering in his chest as Quinn got to her feet.

"Taylor, hang on!" She cried desperately, already backing away quickly. "I'm gonna get-"

 _"Quinn!"_  He called, his voice hoarse from the stress he'd endured. "Wai-" He panted, shaking his head as he doubled over to catch his breath, the pain slowly receding from his mind as the crystal pillar faded from his sight.

"Taylor..?" Quinn called hesitantly, dropping to her knees before him and cupping his cheeks as she raised his head. "Taylor, can you hear me..?" She asked worriedly, and her shoulders immediately slumped in relief, when Taylor nodded.

"I'm... I'm so sorry, Quinn..." He choked, coughing as his throat finally began to relax again. The redhead shook her head quickly, a startled giggle escaping her as he retrieved his partially buried hand and reached up to her hands shakily. "I'm  _sorry..."_  He said quietly, "I-"

"You're bleeding..." Quinn said, reaching into her pocket for a tissue and quickly wiping beneath his nose. "Taylor..?" She asked worriedly, handing him the reddened tissue as he sighed dejectedly.

"Don't tell Jake..." He pleaded quietly, holding up his hand to hold off her imminent protests. "I just mean for tonight. I'll tell him, I just... It's been a rough day." He sighed, dabbing at his nose again to make sure that the bleeding had stopped. "I just don't want him to worry again so soon... I  _promise,_  I'll tell him tomorrow." He said tiredly, sitting back on his heels as he looked around curiously. "Where the hell did all that come from anyway..?"

 _"Ennnn..."_  The whisper came again, and Taylor found he was able to hear the faint voice without any negative effects.

"Just so you know, I'm gonna tell Michelle tomorrow morning, so you have until she finds you after that." Quinn huffed, ignoring Taylors pitiful groan, as she glanced up the path ahead of them. "I think it came from over there... But, are you sure we should-?"

"Come on, Quinn..." Taylor said, pushing to his feet before tugging her up after him. "I did not suffer that to turn back now. I'll be fine, I promise... Whatever it was, it's passed now." He said, grinning crookedly while poking his tongue out at her. Quinn snorted and rolled her eyes at his goofy expression, leading him ahead by the hand, to where the trees finally gave way to a stunning expanse of beach. Wind raced ashore from the sea, creating harmonic tones as it passed through hollows in the eroded cliff face.

 _"Leeeee..."_  Taylor narrowed his eyes, his mind supplying the final piece of the whispered message before he even heard it. Endless... He thought, frowning when a memory niggled at the back of his mind, but refused to break free of its hiding place.

"It really  _is_  like voices singing..." Quinn gasped, looking around in awe as the wind continued its constant drone. Taylor shook his head, giving up on the message a d simply resolving to enjoy the melody the wind made in the cliffs.

_"Ennn... Leeee..."_

"It's pretty, but I don't know if its actually saying anything..." The redhead continued to babble, glancing over at Taylor nervously as his expression slowly fell into a fresh frown. He closed his eyes, and let his aching heart complete the words.

_**Across the sea, it comes... Crushing everything, in its path... To you.** _

"... I-" Taylor swallowed heavily, blinking back tears at the hollow sensation which formed in his gut. "I can't make it out either..." He lied, shaking his head as the once beautiful melody of the wind turned sour to his ears. "It just sounds eerie to me..."

Quinn turned towards him, worry in her wide blue eyes which made Taylor drop his own darker hued eyes in guilt. "I think I heard the words; 'our destined union.'" Quinn said thoughtfully, frowning as Taylor turned his back to the ocean.

"Well, I guess we'll have to wait to find out what that means..." He said, frowning as he noticed a cave in the cliff face. He nudged Quinn, and gestured towards his find, her eyes easily locating it in the bright moonlight. Together, they made their way across the beach.

"Oh,  _look!"_  Quinn cried, hurrying to kneel beside a cluster of tide pools beside the cave mouth. Each one contained a different colour of wet, glistening clay. She bit her lip, before carefully dabbing her finger into a pool, before proceeding to draw an orange streak across a flat section of rock. "These actually make decent paints..." She said in awe, eyeing them with a hungry look in her eye.

"I guess it worked well enough for cavemen..." Taylor said, grinning broadly as he watched her face light with joy at the way the colour melded together in a tiny swirl she created.

"Would you like me to paint something for you?" She asked, turning towards him with an excited gleam to her eye which made Taylors heart swell with pride.

"I want to see you paint..." He said slowly, his grin growing as he sniggered.  _"Me!"_  He snorted, as Quinn laughed and shook her head.

"Oh,  _Taylor!"_  She sighed in exasperation, as he giggled at himself. She narrowed her eyes playfully, as she loaded up her fingers with colours, bopping him on the nose with one before laughing at his stunned expression. "You're lucky, it just so happens I'd love to! I have the perfect plan already..." She giggled, before humming thoughtfully. "Hm, first, you best take off your shirt." She sniggered, as Taylor blinked and felt his cheeks flame red.

"Oh my  _god,_  Taylor!" She laughed, covering her mouth with her hand as her eyes danced with amusement. "It was an entirely professional request, but if you're really that worried about it..." She sniggered, as Taylor averted his eyes and turned a deeper shade of pink. "You  _do_  remember I've seen you change before, right?"

"Yeah, but..." He mumbled, a grin tugging at his lips as he felt a rush of warmth in his chest from her lighthearted banter. "That was just... I mean, it wasn't... We weren't-"

"You mean you and Jake weren't serious then?" She asked, as she began to create several lines on the rock face. Taylor shrugged, biting his lip as he fought a silly grin at the thought of his relationship with the pilot, and the way it seemed to be blooming rapidly into something much more than he'd first dared to hope it would.

"So uh," he said, clearing his throat loudly as Quinn giggled knowingly. "What subjects do you usually paint?" He asked curiously, watching as her fingers seemed to flow between the pools and rock face like they were dancing.

"All kinds of things," Quinn replied, her eyes remaining focused on her task as she smiled softly. "People, animals... Sometimes I just start putting paint on the canvas, and let it take me somewhere..."

"You mean, you start to envision a place?" He asked, frowning as Quinn made several quick motions with her fingers and giggled.

"Not always an actual place." She countered, hesitating as she tried to find the right words. "Sometimes, I end up painting... an emotional place." She said, her fingers beginning to move once more abetween the pools of colour and the rock. "I think there are things you can say with a painting, that can't otherwise be expressed. You can show someone how something really feels."

"I guess, I hadn't thought of it that way before..." Taylor said thoughtfully, moving aside slightly as Quinn stepped back from the rock wall to get a better look at her work. He leaned around her, gasping as he caught a glimpse of her painting.  _"Quinn!"_  He cried, his tone scandalized as she giggled, and quickly snapped a picture on her phone.

Taylor felt his cheeks burn, looking back at her work to see she had captured something he'd not expected. Whereas he'd been expecting just a painting of himself looking ridiculously awkward as he blushed furiously, the redhead has actually depicted one of the more intimate moments he'd shared with Jake. Though they were hardly doing anything risqué, the pilots intention was clear from the way he was smirking, his fingers curled beneath Taylors chin. But it was the aspect of Taylors obvious infatuation which made Taylors breath catch in his throat, the aspect od his devotion immediately recognizable as he bit his lip and gazed at Jake adoringly.

"I  _cannot_  believe you immortalised me in such obvious awe of him..." Taylor sighed, shaking his head as he reluctantly drew out his phone to snap a picture himself. He looked down at the picture on his small screen, rubbing his thumb over the top, before jamming his phone back into his pocket roughly. "I am  _never,_  going to head the end of this. His ego is  _enormous_  already..." He snorted, as Quinn walked over and nudged him playfully.

"Is that all you love about him that's enor-"

 _"Quinn!"_  Taylor yelped, his cheeks burning as he turned to her with wide eyes. He shook his head at her, as she giggled wildly. "I gotta admit though..." He said, turning back to the painting once more. "You're... really good!"

"I feel like I should be offended by your surprise..." She laughed, bouncing on her toes as she looked between him and her work. "You really like it..?" She asked, and Taylor nodded mutely as he stared at the detail she'd inserted.

"Do I really look at him like that..?" He asked suddenly, his stomach dropping as he imagined himself behaving so star struck around the pilot.

"Maybe a little..." She giggled, as he groaned and hung his head. "But, it's how he looks at you too... It's kind of gross to watch sometimes, but mostly... It's just cute." She said, stepping closer as she rested her head on his shoulder. "But, there are some things that can't be fully expressed through art... So, I guess the rest of your affections for each other are safe." She giggled quietly.

Taylor felt a warmth bloom through his chest, affection for his friends, for Jake, and for the relationships they'd all formed together. He wrapped his arm around Quinn's shoulder, squeezing gently as they stood and admired Quinn's artwork.

"Come on, Taylor, we should get back..." Quinn said, after a moment of silent comfort and contemplation. "Jake's probably about at his limit by now..."

"Huh?" Taylor hunmed, frowning in confusion. "Jake's bottomless when it comes to whiskey, he can finish that whole bottle easy..." He said uncertainly, raising a brow at the redhead as she began laughing loudly.

"Taylor, it is  _adorable_  how clueless you can be sometimes..." She giggled, taking a deep breath as she took his hand and began leading him back across the beach. "I mean, Jake's kinda gone through a lot today... You almost died;  _twice!_  I think he's probably starting to get a little... cranky." She said, wincing slightly as she moved them up to a light jog through the trees.

Taylor sniggered, allowing Quinn to guide him through the forest, back towards the manor. Their return journey was far quicker than their original trek, and before long they were walking back through the door, to find everyone had settled themselves into rooms for the night. "Well, guess this is goodnight..." Taylor said, after walking Quinn upstairs, and allowing her to choose an open door for herself.

"Mhm,  _sleep_  well!" Quinn giggled, winking as she gave him a quick hug, before stepping back into the bedroom. Taylor shook his head at her, as she closed the door, and turned to head down the hallway. He found the door to the room he'd used earlier still open, and he peeked his head around the door, before stepping inside and closing it with his heel. He kicked his shoes off and slipped over to the bed quietly, kneeling on the mattress and looking down at the slumbering pilot. He felt a hot flush run through him, as he recalled Quinn's painting with a grin, and quickly laid down to curl up against Jake's side.

"Bout time you got back, Boy Scout." Jake murmured quietly, causing Taylor to yelp and jerk back in surprise. He looked up to find Jake looking down at him with a grin.

"I was trying not to wake you..." Taylor pouted, his expression morphing to a scowl as Jake snickered quietly.

"Ah, don't beat yaself up, Boy Scout," Jake chuckled, rolling onto his side and propping his head on his hand. "I'm a real light sleeper."

"Hmm, well, one day I'm gonna surprise you." Taylor promised, grumbling to himself as he played with Jake's dog tags.

"You regularly surprise me," the pilot snorted, the fingers of his free hand dancing lightly over Taylors stomach and drawing flutters from within, without realising. "Don't mean to say that's a good thing..." He said frowning thoughtfully.

"Hm, well I have another surprise for you..." Taylor said, grinning broadly as Jake raised a brow in intrigue.

"Really now..?" The pilot asked, his lips twitching in amusement, as he brushed his hand lower over Taylors stomach. Taylor bit his lip, ignoring the sharp pain of the gesture as he fought to catch his breath, when Jake's trailing fingers caused a rush of heat to flood through his gut. "Ya know," Jake hummed, leaning down to kiss the exposed flesh of Taylors throat, his attentions sending a surge of arousal through Taylors slowly waking cock. "If uh,  _this..."_  Jake murmured, resting his palm over Taylors rapidly swelling cock and squeezing firmly, as he brushed his lips against Taylors ear. "Is your surprise..." He chuckled, sucking the lobe between his teeth, as he squeezed again. "I'm not very surprised..."

"It's  _not,_  but the surprise can bloody wait, just  _don't stop_..." Taylor hissed, rocking his hips up into Jake's hand, seeking friction for his burgeoning erection. "Holy  _sh-"_

His curse was silenced, as Jake's mouth descended upon his own, hungry, demanding and rough in its urgency. Taylor groaned, his hands scrabbling for the pilots jacket and quickly shoving it off his arms, as he arched against the body which rolled over him. He gasped for breath as their lips parted briefly, only to have them reconnected moments later, his hands hurrying to roll up Jake's shirt as the pilot deftly unbuttoned his camo jacket.

"Jake..." He panted, as the pilot withdrew only enough to yank his shirt over his head, quickly divesting Taylor of his jacket and shirt before wrapping a hand around his hip and pulling him closer.

Taylors heart pounded, his heart rushing with the sense of urgency and need building within him. His hands caressed over Jake's torso and abs, falling to his waistband quickly, as Jake's tongue swept against his own. His fingers made quick work of the pilots bindings, and he groaned as he slid a hand beneath the constricting fabric, curling around the hot, hard flesh beneath with a grin. Jake shuddered, his kiss pausing as Taylor gripped him firmly, stroking tortuously slow.

"Fuck, you're gonna be the death of me..." The pilot groaned as he drew back, his head dropping to Taylors shoulder as he rocked his hips, driving himself faster into Taylors hand. Taylor sniggered and immediately released his hold, his hands instead hurrying to push down the pilots trousers and boxers.  _"Goddamn-"_  Jake growled, grazing Taylors shoulder with his teeth as he moved to undo and remove Taylors own final garments of clothing.

Taylor pressed fervent kisses along Jake's collarbone, his fingernails scraping over the pilots hips as he drew him closer. As Jake tugged off the final leg of his trousers, Taylor surged upwards, knocking the pilot to his back and immediately straddling his waist. "Aw,  _hel-"_  Jake's groan cut off abruptly, as Taylor plastered himself against the pilot and dove into a hungry kiss, pressing his body tightly against Jake's and rocking his hips lightly.

He groaned, as Jake's hands clasped around his thighs, kneading the flesh eagerly as he ground his arousal against the pilots hip. With a gasp Taylor sat back, reaching for the pilots cock and guiding him to his ass. Jake's fingers slid to his waist, gripping tightly as Taylor sank over him, his eyes fogged by desire as he stared at where his cock slowly disappeared into Taylors ass. "Shit, Boy Scout, you reall-" he began, onto to taper into a groan instead, as Taylor immediately set himself to rise and fall at an almost desperate pace.

Taylor felt his body arch, his mind lost to the sensations of pleasure which rolled through him in waves, leaving him breathless but ever eager for more. He rocked his hios, as he rose and fell over the pilot, his hand wrapped around his own cock tightly to stop himself from reaching his climax too soon. However his attempts to draw the experience out were in vain, as Jake thrust upwards, driving himself deeper into Taylor and striking the spot which made him gasp and squirm with a rush of pleasure.

 _"Jake..!"_  He warned, biting his lip until Jake drew him down, and kissed him hard. One hand balled tightly in the pillow, his other tangling in Jake's hair and tugging lightly, as his teeth nipped at Jake's lip. His ass rocked against the pilot, seeking friction for his cock, as Jake thrust up into him in with a curses and groans.

He gasped into the pilots kiss, as a hand curled around his cock, and after only two encouraging strokes, he felt the rushing of his imminent orgasm.  _"Mmmph!"_  He cried, his body trembling as his ass clamped around the pilots cock, his cock pulsing as he came in the pilots grasp. He nipped harder at Jake's lip, his tongue darting into the pilots mouth as he felt fingers clamp into his hip tightly, the pilot groaning as he stilled deep inside of his ass.

Taylor whined reproachfully, licking the pilots lip on apology for his sharp nip. "I was enjoying that..." He muttered accusingly, drawing back to pepper kisses along the pilots stubbled jaw.

"Hn, wasn't about to let anything steal ya away again..." Jake huffed, running a hand through Taylors short hair as he chuckled.

"Hm, good point..." Taylor conceded, pressing a lingering kiss to the pilots lips, before he shifted and rolled back to the bed. He sighed, which turned to a yawn midway, as he felt Jake draw him closer against his side.

"You're somethin' else, Boy Scout," Jake chuckled dryly, kissing his shoulder briefly before laying back with his arms folded behind his head. Taylor hummed, yawning as he curled up beside the pilot. He grinned against the pilots shoulder, and within minutes, he was sound asleep.

When he next opened his eyes, it was to bright light streaming in through the window. He sighed contently and kissed Jake's shoulder, sniggering when the pilot merely rolled over and buried his head beneath his pillow with a groan. He shook his head and rolled from the bed, yelping briefly at the brief ache in his ass before pushing to his feet quickly. He tossed a pillow at Jake, who he could hear sniggering at his discomfort, before quickly rooting out his clothes and throwing them on. With a final fond glance at his pilot, he shuffled into the hall in search of the nearest bathroom.

Once he'd had a chance to clean up, he headed down to the main foyer, where he was greeted by the exuberant chatter of tropical birds, perched on the roof. He looked up through the skylight, smiling st the colourful birds, when he felt arm arm curl around his waist and a head rest itself heavily on his shoulder.  _"Mm..._  Too early..." Jake drawled thickly, and Taylor giggled as the pilots nose ghosted along his throat, before a light kiss was pressed briefly to his pulse point. "Could someone get Toucan Sam to knock it off?" He growled pitifully, as Taylor laughed and turned to look over his shoulder.

"Sore head?" He asked innocently, only for Jake to raise a brow, a slow grin tugging at his lips.

"No, some little incubus dropped itself in my lap last night." The pilot sniggered, as Taylor felt his cheeks flame with heat.  _"Helluva_  ride," Jake murmured fondly, burying his face against Taylors throat.

"Just so you know, I officially hate you both." Zahra snarked, eyeing their display with obvious contempt.

"Hey, wait a minute," Craig said, ignoring them all as he looked around with a frown. "Where's Raj? He wasn't in his room, I checked..."

Just as Taylor turned towards the jock, Lila hurried in from the beach. "Come quick!" She cried, her eyes wide as she panted for breath. "I think he might be doing something very foolish!" She gasped, and Taylor groaned, in no doubt as to who she was referring. He disentangled the pilot from around him, hurrying after the tour guide to find Raj dangling precariously from the prow of an old shipwreck.

"Raj, what the-" he began, only for Raj to excitedly call over him.

"I see a barrel in the ships hold!" He cried, grinning broadly as he tried to wriggle his way closer to the ship. "It's gotta be Caribbean rum!"

"Please come down!" Lila pleaded, biting her thumb as she watched him worriedly. "You're going to get hurt!"

Raj grimaced and ignored the tour guide, focusing his attention, as he tried to swing closer to the deck. The desiccated wood of the prow groaned in protest, as Raj's eyes narrowed. "There's something else too... I see something else!"

"Raj..." Taylor sighed, shaking his head in fond exasperation. "What is it? Caribbean jerky?" He asked, sniggering at himself quietly.

 _"Nooo..."_  Raj said, his smile turning smug as he glanced down at Taylor. "I think it's one of those idol thingies!" He called, as Taylor immediately sobered. He bit his lip, running a hand through his hair as he eyed the shipwreck thoughtfully. "Taylor, if I come down and boost you up, do you think you could reach into the window of the ship?" He asked, as Taylor eyed the window in question speculatively.

"Alright," he sighed, moving over to the edge of the water. "Let's give it a shot."

 _"Sweet!"_  Raj cheered, grinning broadly as Taylor snorted and helped him down from his precarious position at the prow, along with Sean and Craig. As soon as he was down, Raj waded ankle deep into the water beside the hull of the ship, and Taylor quickly climbed up onto his shoulders.

 _"Whoa!"_  Taylor gasped, wobbling precariously as Raj shifted suddenly beneath him. "Easy there!"

"Sorry," Raj muttered apologetically, "I'm uh, I'm ticklish!" He admitted, chuckling uncontrollably and causing his weight to pitch forward beneath Taylor. He grimaced as he noticed a swarm of dark shapes writhing in the deeper water, inches from Raj's feet.

"Oh god..." Taylor groaned, deeply regretting his choice to help the large boy get the idol, as he noticed Jake, Michelle and Quinn all glaring at him from the shore. "Just,  _try_  to keep still!"

"I'm... trying..!" Raj gasped, as Taylor rolled his eyes, struggling to latch onto the frame of the window in the ship's hull. Peeking inside, he saw the amber statue just inside, and he quickly shoved his arm inside to grab it.

"Got it!" He cried, grinning broadly as he waved the prize towards his friends on the shore.

"Sweet!" Raj laughed, holding Taylors legs as he began to splash his way out of the shallow water. "Let's get out of here!"

As soon as they were clear of the water, Taylor jumped down from Raj's shoulders to the soft sand below, groaning as he fell forward to his knees. He heard Raj snort with laughter, as he reached forward to help him up, accidentally catching thenidol with his wrist.  _"No-"_  Taylor gasped, as he was encompassed by a flash of white, before finding himself deposited into the middle of a raging frat party on the Hartfield campus.

The front door swung open, and Raj barreled through, a huge and excited grin on his face as he raced towards his friends. "Guess who's off academic probation!" He cried in obvious joy and relief, high fiving with Craig as he reached the jock.

"That's my dude!" Craig cheered, slapping him on the back excitedly, a broad grin spreading across his face.

"Woohoo!" Michelle cheered, her arms draped around Sean's neck as they danced closely to the loud and racing music.

"Nice!" Sean grinned, offering his fist for Raj to bump. "Congrats, man! I knew you'd win the case!"

"Time for a celebratory keg stand" Raj cheered proudly, vaulting onto a nearby keg and inverting himself. The entire party began to chant as Raj guzzled beer, his friends louder than anyone with their support, as Raj got up and raised his fists in triumph. " _Ha ha_! I'm back dudes!"

"So, what ended up happening at the hearing?" Sean asked curiously, grinning as Michelle rested her head on his shoulder and smiled over at him as well.

"Professor McCarty dropped the charges." Raj said proudly, beaming around his friends fondly. "He couldn't prove I cheated." He sighed happily, as Craig high fived him again.

"Seriously, I hate McCarty. Screw him." Michelle growled, offering Raj a celebratory hug. "So, how did you chest without him catching you, anyway?"

"What are you talking about..?" Raj asked, his brow creasing with confusion as the blonde drew away with a huge smile. "I didn't cheat."

"Dude, it's cool." Craig snorted, clapping him on the shoulder. "They can't get you now... Double jeopardy."

"Not sure that applies to college ethics proceedings..." Raj said diubtfully, looking around his friends with his expression falling. "Seriously though, I didn't cheat..."

 _"You,_  Raj Bhandarkar, the guy who accidentally burned dow Pi Omega..." Michelle scoffed, her eyes wide as she stared up at him with her hands on her hips.

"The guy who made a goat tackle Camden State's quarterback, in a  _live_  game..." Craig laughed, dragging his hand through his hair.

"The guy who jumped off the library  _roof_  into the Meyer fountain..." Sean added, raising a brow at the large boy.

 _"You,_  got a one hundred percent on the econ final, where the next highest score was a seventy three percent?" Michelle asked, as the three of them stared at him in obvious shock.

"Yeah..." Raj said proudly, grinning hopefully around his friends. He watched them exchange a glance, before they all burst into uproarious laughter.

"Dude, you are  _hilarious!"_  Sean gasped, clapping Raj on the shoulder, as the large boys smile faltered.

"I love you, Raj." Michelle giggled, shaking her head fondly. "Kinda pissed you blew the curve, but I  _still_  love you."

"Okay, okay, you play it close to the vest." Craig guffawed, bumping his fist into Raj's shoulder affectionately. "I feel ya.  _One day,_  I'm gonna find out how you did it, though!" He promised, as Raj's face fell.

Taylor felt his heart ache, at the deep breath the large boy took, clearly trying to push aside the bitter sting of his friends disbelief. "Who uh, who wants to see me do another keg stand?!" Raj cried, plastering a fake smile across his face, as the crowd roared it's approval.

Taylor would have wept, if he knew how in such a state, as everything seemed to fold in on itself; rocketing him in a disorienting whirl, towards another moment in time. Slowly, the kitchen of The Celestial began to materialize around him.

Raj was standing a short distance awayz slicing vegetables and dropping them into a pot of simmering water. "Pies... make peace..." He sniffed forlornly, as Rourke sauntered into the kitchen. Taylor noticed there was something noticably off about the man, although his rising hatred for the man made it hard to focus on what it could be.

"Splendid lunch, Raj." The man said, beaming a wide grin at the man. "Truly outdid yourself." He added, picking his teeth with the jagged end of a broken femur. "Who knew grilled sabertooth could be  _so incredibly savory_?"

"This kinda stuff wasn't in the job description, dude..." Raj muttered, barely raising his eyes to the older man. "And you might wanna lay off the time crystals. They're turning you into a full on Dr. Moreau head case!"

"Nonsense." Rourke said dismissively, tossing the broken femur onto the counter carelessly. "Each time I get just a bit closer to the one I seek."

"You're never going to find that red spacesuit person." Raj said, flinching when Rourke snarled. However, before Rourke could further respond, his attention was suddenly drawn to a small drone, hovering into the room.

 _"Ah,_  Iris!" Rourke cried eagerly, winking at the hologram as she flickered into sight. "Have you brought the special ingredient for this evenings dinner?"

"As you requested, Mr. Rourke." Iris replied regretfully, gesturing to where the drone had towed a wheeled cart into the centre of the kitchen behind it.

"Very good!" Rourke said cheerfully, clapping his hands together excitedly. "Let's show our head chef what he'll be preparing!" He sniggered, reaching for a box on the cart and carefully prying open the lid.

Taylors heart lurched, his hatred for Rourke surging, as he caught sight of Furball cowering within, quaking with fear. He watched as Raj took several deep breaths quickly, shaking his head as he reached back to untie his apron, and whipping it off.

 _"No!"_  He roared, scowling over at the older man with obvious contempt. "You've pushed me  _too far_  this time!"

"Oh, come on." Rourke sighed, waving his hand dismissively at Raj's dramatic gesture. "It's just one teeny, tiny, freezy, sneezy fox!"

"Furball is my  _friend!"_  Raj said, glaring at Rourke with the most hateful expression Taylor had ever seen on the large boy. "You  _don't_  eat friends." Rourke sighed in irritation as he turned away, but before he could say anything, Raj had scooped up Furball and set him on his shoulders as he continued. "Besides, I've prepared something  _else_  for you tonight..."

"Oh?" Rourke asked disinterestedly, as Raj twisted the apron on his hands and wielded it like a whip, striking a hanging rack filled with pans and woks. The rack swing free of one of it's supports, and a pile of heavy cookware suddenly tumbled onto Rourke.

Instantly, Raj was in motion, dashing through The Celestial through familiar paths they'd all used to escape the Vaanti raid. They ererged from the front entrance in a rush, as the hotel's alarms rang loudly across the area. "Hurry, he's coming!" Raj cried, as he spotted a battered and bruised Rourke shambling after them.

"I've had about enough of your insubordination, Head Chef Raj!" Rourke yelled, a manic grin across his face, as he revealed a harpoon gun in his arms. The older man gained on them, aiming his weapon. Furball hopped down from Raj's shoulders, leading him towards the trees before pausing and yipping for him worriedly.

"Just go!" Raj called, puffing heavily as he raced across The Celestial's main entrance.  _"Run,_  little guy!" He yelled, as a loud blast rang out through the night air. "Run for your li-" Raj choked, his eyes flying wide as a harpoon speared through him.

 _"No!"_  Taylor gasped, shivering as he fell to the sand, suddenly back on Sharktooth Isle.

"Whoa, Taylor, I was just-"

 _"Taylor!"_  He heard Jake's cry, followed by the soft pound of feet over sand, and moments later he found himself encompassed in the pilots arms. He trembled, trying to force the awful images from his mind as he squeezed his eyes shut tightly. "It's okay, Boy Scout. I gotcha..."

"Urgh..." He groaned, forcing himself to his knees and flopping back against the pilot, his brow damp with sweat. "Sorry Raj, thought I was gonna hurl.." He lied, panting for breath as Jake frowned down at the idol he clutched in a white knuckle grip.

"Oh, well... Probably for the best then, dude." Raj chuckled awkwardly, before breaking into a wide grin. "Anyway, I gotta go get lunch started!" He said, clapping his hands together and walking away with an eager spring in his step.

"Ya know, I'm really startin' to dislike these things..." Jake groused, his clear eyes raking over Taylors flushed face worriedly.

"Huh, you and me both, Top Gun." He snorted, forcing himself to his feet. "But, for whatever reason... I think I need them... They're important somehow, just... Not how the Vaanti and Rourke think they are..." He mumbled, rubbing his head lightly as it began to thrib with the faint promise of a headache.

"Uh, guys?" Diego called, drawing their attention to where he was stood a short ways uo the beach, staring out to sea in disbelief. "Someone's coming!"

Taylor and Jake exchanged a glance, before running over to Diego, where the rest of their friends were already converging around him. Shielding his eyes from the bright sun, Taylor squinted out to spot a blurry shape approaching. With a gasp, his vision from the previous evening merged over his sight, and the blurring cleared to reveal a Vaanti sailboat racing towards them. His heart rose to his throat, an excited giggle escaping him at the sight of the lone figure on board.

As the outrigger skidded up onto the shore, a woman leapt off, alighting gracefully on the sand. Taylor looked over her blue blazer, complete with golden pauldrons. A belt crossed over her chest, though he couldn't see anything attached to it. "Ah, it would appear the captain has sent out a welcoming party." The woman chuckled dryly, as in a flash of movement, she pulled out a wheellock pistol and pointed it directly at Taylor. He stared down the barrel of her gun, as the woman snarled viciously at him. "Now! Take me to Malatesta!"


	5. There Are Many Things I Keep Hidden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy nutballs..- its ready! Woot!
> 
> Im so happy this chapter is ready for the weekend! I would love to get another out befire the weekends over but that mft be over reaching!
> 
> I really hope you enjoy this chapter- please let me know cuz im kinda nervous about a couple parts! :/
> 
> Thabk you soòooooo much for reading and supporting! <3
> 
> x My love to you all x

_**Dear Jake;** _

_Yvonne. Dear sweet, hilarious... trouble making, Yvonne. I don't think I've ever met someone so like you; except female, obviously. Although to be fair, I always thought she had more of an innocent charm than... Well, your huge ego._

_I don't understand how someone so brave, could also be such an utter coward at times... Or maybe it was more of a deliberate choice to be selfish, though I can't blame her really. At any rate, she led us to one of my favourite memories with you... So, I'd probably forgive her just about anything really... except her constant need to touch what was mine!_

_For all her little foibles though, she's an amazingly vibrant person, and I'm pleased to have had the chance to know her..._

**5.**

**There Are Many Things I Keep Hidden.**

Taylor swallowed heavily, his heart racing, as the strangely attired woman leveled her wheellock pistol at his head.  _"Whoa, whoa!"_  Jake called, tugging Taylor to his side and scowling at the newcomer, as her gun remained trained on Taylors face.

"Easy,  _easy!"_  Sean said calmly, stepping up to Taylors other side with his palms raised in obvious surrender. Taylor held out his free arm, preventing the athlete from coming any closer, as the strange woman frowned around them all. He glanced to the side, as he felt hands settle gently over the amber idol, and he allowed Diego to take it from him and free his hand.

"Did you not  _hear_  me?!" She asked, her words slurred by a heavy French accent. "I said take me to Captain Malatesta, before I begin firing!" She demanded, her expression turning cocky as she grinned ferally. "And believe me,  _mes chers_ , I do not miss."

"Leave him alone!" Michelle called, trying to push towards Taylor, only for Sean to hold her back in a gesture similar to Taylors own on him.

 _"Wait!"_  Taylor cried, drawing the woman's attention back to himself, as she began to turn towards the blonde. "You can't take all of us..." He warned, ignoring the tight squeeze which Jake gave him, as he raised his other hand slowly. "If you shoot me, you've got eleven other people here to descend on you right after... One of them being a...  _hopefully,_  very angry pilot with military training..." He said, eyeing the woman warily as he took a small but deliberate step backwards. "Let's just...  _talk."_

 _"Ha!"_  The woman cried, her top lip curling into an arrogant smirk. "I welcome the challenge!" She snarled, eyeing them all critically. "I... Actually, I would need a fair amount of time to reload..." She admitted thoughtfully, her gun dipping just slightly.

"Lady, I dunno what Black Pearl you just stepped off of, but we don't want any trouble." Jake said calmly, leaning close to Taylors side as he muttered quietly.  _"'Hopefully'? Really?"_

"I didn't wanna assume..." Taylor murmured defensively, his lips twitching with amusement at the pilots visible offense.

"You're a goddamn idiot sometimes..." Jake snarked affectionately, shaking his head as Taylor flushed a guilty and admittedly pleased pink.

 _"Quoi?"_  The woman asked, her brows raising beneath her tricorn hat as she eyed them speculatively. "You...  _don't_  work for Malatesta?" She asked uncertainly, taking a small step back.

"We don't work for  _anyone!"_  Sean said, watching her closely as she frowned and considered their protests. "Mind putting the gun away?" He asked, his eyes darting between Taylor and the offending weapon.

The strange woman glanced towards the dilapidated manor, her brow furrowed in confusion. " _Zut alors_..!" She cried, eyeing the building in blatant shock. "What happened here?"

"If I had to guess," Taylor hedged, lowering his free hand as he sensed her initial hostility had passed. "I'd say you've been gone a long,  _long_  time..."

 _"C'est_  impossible!" The woman cried, scowling as she raised her gun again, waving it in emphasis of her distress. Taylor felt Jake tug him discreetly aside, out of direct aim of the weapon, and he squeezed his hand in gratitude. "I've only been away from home a fortnight!"

"Uh, welcome to La Huerta?" Zahra snorted, folding her arms over her chest as she tossed her hair over her shoulder, glaring at the strange woman scornfully. "Time is kinda borked here."

The woman stared at the manor for an infinite moment, before finally holstering her gun with a curious frown as the group gave a collective sigh of relief. Jake stepped closer to Taylor, his relief palpable as he clutched tightly at the hand he still held. "If you don't work for him, why are you on Sharktooth Isle?"

"We were exiled here by the Vaanti." Taylor explained, closing his eyes as he leaned against the pilots shoulder briefly.

"Lemme tell you, those hooligans just throw whoever they want out here!" Lila huffed angrily, and Taylor shivered at the genuine coldness in the tour guides eyes. "Guilty, or not!"

"Who's Malatesta, anyway?" Quinn asked, frowning in confusion as she brushed her long red hair over her shoulder.

 _"Captain_  Malatesta runs this place. Or at least, he  _did..."_  The woman sneered in reply, raising her brows thoughtfully. "I was his first mate until...  _ahem,_  until he decided my sway on the rest of the crew was too much of a threat." She scowled, her eyes lost to a deep pit of betrayal she clearly hoped they wouldn't see. Taylors heart clenched for the woman, but he kept his expression clear of his emotions, as she seemed to shake of her melancholy. "He banished me to la Mer, but as you can see, la Mer, she guided me back..." She grinned widely, squinting one eye as she cocked her hip and settled a hand upon it. "It takes more than  _une petite planche_  to get rid of  _Yvonne the Incorrigible_!"

"Huh?" Craig balked, frowning at Yvonne sceptically. "Whatever she just said was French to me..."

"It was French, you  _moron._  'A little plank.'" Aleister snapped, scowling at Craig contemptuously.

 _"Oui,"_  Yvonne nodded gratefully, miming a kiss at Aleister.  _"Exactement."_

"Erm..." Aleister squirmed, his cheeks tinged pink in his discomfort, as Craig and Zahra sniggered to themselves.

"A few hours after I stepped off that plank, I washed ashore beside the big tree. The people there were kind enough to let me 'borrow' a boat." Yvonne explained, and Taylor broke into a small fit of giggles at her innocent expression.

"That doesn't sound like the Vaanti..." Diego said, frowning thoughtfully as he eyed the boat in question.

"She means she commandeered it, Diego..." Taylor stage whispered, sniggering at Diego's shocked expression as understanding crept in.

"It explains how she made it past the klaawyi at least!" Michelle said, eyeing the vessel with a sceptically raised brow.

"Klaawyi?" Yvonne queried, frowning at the blonde in apparent confusion.

"All those barracuda's in the water." Taylor explained, jerking his chin towards the open waters Yvonne had sailed in from. "They're only repelled by a special sap the Vaanti put on their ships... It's why we're stuck here." He said, grinning secretively as he glanced at Jake. "Any chance you'd give us a ride over to the main island?" He asked innocently, as Jake snorted and rolled his eyes.

"I could perhaps assist," Yvonne conceded, before the pirate continued with a grin. "In return... for help with a concern of mine."

"Freakin' quest givers..." Zahra muttered darkly, scowling at Yvonne in obvious irritation.

"What, exactly, do you need help with?" Sean asked hesitantly, running his hand over his short hair as he frowned at the pirate.

 _"Please_  say a high seas adventure!" Diego pleaded, beaming a wide and infectious smile around the group.

"Dude, we're still trying to survive the original adventure..." Taylor snorted, bumping his fist against Diego's as they both snickered. "You getting bored or something?"

"Please say something quick and simple." Jake growled over the pair, which only succeeded in making them giggle harder. Taylor glanced at the pilot, his eyes dancing with mirth, and Jake was unable to keep his irritated scowl in place; instead rolling his eyes as his lips twitched.

"Please say 'yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!'" Raj cried, beaming a huge and excited grin at the pirate.

"I need to reclaim a certain lockbox of mine from Malatesta." Yvonne said simply, though her eyes were hard as Taylor noticed one of her hands balling into a fist. "I left it full to the brim with... precious booty."

"Did she just say-" Craig began, a wide grin on his face as he sniggered and eyed the pirate appreciatively.

"Shut it, scrublord." Zahra said, scowling at both Craig and Yvonne alike, Taylor noticed with heavy amusement.

"It should still be hidden in the eastern wing of the manor." Yvonne explained, gesturing towards the area with her chin. "Could use a few extra pairs of eyes to seek it out... and hands to bring it back."

"I sincerely doubt there's much treasure left in this place." Estela scoffed, leaning against a nearby tree as she watched Yvonne intently. "We searched several rooms last night for sleeping arrangements; the only thing we found was dust, and more dust."

Yvonne reached into her vest pocket to retrieve a small ball she began to toss into the air, deftly catching and throwing it again. Taylor frowned, his eyes drawn to the object, as it bounced easily in her palm. "There is if you know where to look..." The pirate said leadingly, grinning as she squinted at Estela through one eye. "A little scavenger hunt; and then we all get away from this blasted isle together.  _Tres raisonnable, non_?"

"Okay," Taylor replied, his eyes narrowing as he pointed to the ball she continued to bounce in her palm.  _"But_  I want that ball, and a share of the loot."

"That's my Boy Scout," Jake sniggered, squeezing his hand fondly as he grinned widely at him. "Regular pirate material."

 _"Yarr!"_  Taylor growled, immediately bursting into giggles when Jake and Diego both laughed at him.

"Now we're talkin'!" Craig cheered, clapping Taylor on the back before raising his fists in the air triumphantly.

"Rum!" Raj cried dramatically, his arms spread wide as he and Craig jumped and collided their chests on midair. "Bring me rum!"

"C'mon guys, let's not get greedy..." Sean said awkwardly, glancing around the group as they cheered and chatted excitedly. "We've gotta focus on getting outta here..." He reminded them, though his words fell on deaf ears as the group continued to talk over him.

 _"Hm."_  The pirate hummed thoughtfully, eyeing Taylor with a speculative grin. "You ask quite a lot of Yvonne..." She said, clicking her tongue as she weighed Taylors conditions carefully. Taylor grinned, waggling his eyebrows at her knowingly, and finally she snorted in amusement.  _"D'accord._  You have a deal." She said, and with a flick of her wrist, she tossed him the small ball; which Taylor eagerly snagged from the air. "We have more gold than iron around here. Melting it down for bullets adds a certain _, je ne sais quoi_  to one's shots, non?" She explained, winking at him as he stashed the ball proudly in his pocket.

"Wait a minute," Diego cried, his eyes wide as he stared at Yvonne in shock. "You just learnt that you're stranded in the future, centuries after everyone you knew died, and all you want is  _treasure?!"_

Yvonne turned to look at the olive skinned boy in surprise, blinking as she raised a brow. "Perhaps you are not familiar with pirates..?" She asked curiously, as Diego shook his head in bafflement.  _"Allons, mes amis_!"

"Yeah!" Raj cheered, beaming a wide smile at the pirate. "You too!"

"Um... I think she wants us to follow her..." Grace said quietly, her lips twitching in amusement as Raj blushed and scratched his neck with a chuckle. The group trailed behind the pirate, as Yvonne led them around the side of the manor. They arrived at a wall, overgrown thickly with vines.

 _"Zut!"_  The pirate cried, eyeing the vines in surprised disdain. "This wasn't here before!" She frowned, and in a single motion, unsheathed a dagger. Taylor sniggered, as she began swiping at the clinging plants, barely affecting them at all. "Hm, sturdier than they look..." She sighed dejectedly, shaking her head as her expression slowly morphed into a scowl. "Malatesta, you goat's uncle... if you hadn't taken Chou-chou, I'd be able to clear these with ease!"

"Chou-chou..!" Taylor gasped, looking around quickly to see his bag slung over Diego's shoulder.

 _"Oui,_  my cutlass." Yvonne explained, as Taylor tore his hand free of Jake's and darted to root through his bag. "A blade of exceptional balance and keen edge..." She continued, making two sharp slicing motions in emphasis. " _Chou... Chou_..."

"Solid nickname..." Jake grinned widely, watching Taylor knowingly.

"Sharp as the north wind, he was." Yvonne reminisced fondly, a small smile curving her lips. "Won him off the corpse of that spineless cur, Admiral Higgenbotham." The pirate explained, and Taylor froze for a moment to glance over, before shaking his head and continuing his search. "But, Malatesta stole Chou-chou for himself, when he threw me overboard." She concluded with a forlorn sigh.

 _"Haha!"_  Taylor cheered quietly, as he drew out a bundle of clothing, quickly unwrapping them and dumping them back in his bag; to reveal the very cutlass he'd found at The Celestial, during the Vaanti raid. "Here ya go, found it on display..." He said, tossing the scabbard lightly through the air.

" _Mon dieu_!" Yvonne cried, snatching the cutlass from the air and eagerly strapping the scabbard around her waist and drawing the blade with obvious excitement. "Chou-chou!  _Merci!"_  She grinned broadly, sheathing the blade and jubilantly leaning forward to kiss Taylors cheeks repeatedly.

"That was really sweet of you, Taylor." Lila said, smiling as Taylor grimaced and tried to squirm his way free of Yvonne's tight grip.

"Okay, okay," Jake snorted, tugging Taylor free of the pirates clutches, much to Taylors relief. "Quit smothering Boy Scout and go find ya own booty."

Taylor raised a brow, his lips twitching in amusement as he looked at the pilot. "Did you just call me your booty?" He asked, attempting to hide his smile behind his hand as Jake scowled at him.

"What?  _No!"_  The pilot denied, folding his arms over his chest as he turned back toward the pirate. " _Shut up_." He muttered, though his lips twitched with amusement as Taylor sniggered and returned his own gaze to the thrilled pirate.

"Ah, Chou-chou,  _mon coeur_..." Yvonne sighed, as she drew the sharp blade and held it up to glimmer in the bright sunlight. With a series of well placed slashes, Yvonne brought the entire bank of vines crashing down before them all. She chuckled victoriously, as she tossed the cutlass into the air, grabbed the hilt and slammed it into its scabbard. As the dust from the fallen vines cleared, an ornate door was revealed behind where the overgrowth had resided.

"After you,  _mes chers_!" She called, holding the door open and allowing them all to file through. As Jake entered, she grinned and swatted him on the backside.

"Hey, now." The pilot protested, grinning broadly as he glanced at the pirate. "Easy on the merchandise." He chuckled, glancing at Taylor with a frown as he noticed his discomfort.

Taylor cleared his throat and winked at his pilot, trying to hide the spark of uncertainty which flared in his gut at the pilot and the pirates easy banter. "Keep moving, sweet cheeks." He called after Jake, as he chuckled uncomfortably, painting what he hoped was a convincing grin across his face. Jake raised a brow at him, but moments later he disappeared through the hidden doorway, leaving Taylor with a cold and heavy stone weighing down his stomach.

Yvonne gave him a conspiratorial wink, beaming a wide grin at him, before she too disappeared through the doorway. Taylor swallowed heavily, shaking his head and telling himself firmly that he was being ridiculous. Despite his own reassurances however, he couldn't entirely erase the biting sting of jealousy which gnawed at his gut. With a sigh, he forced himself to follow the others, trudging through the doorway dejectedly. Once he was inside, he found himself stumbling down a long staircase, until he found himself surrounded by darkness. He held still, a hand against the wall, as he waited for his eyes to adjust to the gloom. He heard the slow click of boot heels across the floor, and then the sound of flint sparking against steel. Yvonne lit a candelabra, faintly illuminating the room around them.

"Guys... I've got a  _bad_  feeling about this." Raj said, his face falling as he peered around the gloom filled room.

"You do..?" Grace asked, her eyes wide with concern as she glanced around, seeming worried the large boy had spotted some danger she might have missed.

"The pineapple I had for breakfast, I mean." He replied, clutching his stomach with his hands as he grimaced. "... I think it wants  _out!"_  He cried, as Grace took a deliberate step away from him, as the large boy dashed back up the staircase they'd used to enter.

"Malatesta originally built these rooms for his mistress." Yvonne sneered disparagingly, glaring around the room with obvious contempt. "When the Black Death took her life, this wing was walled off, and became a place for safekeeping our most valuable treasures." She said, sounding far more cheerful as she rested her hand on a table and smirked at a painting up on the next level above them.

"Are you  _kidding_  me?" Michelle cried, her eyes widening as she hastily covered her mouth and bose with the lower half of her blouse. "People died of bubonic plague in here? I am  _so_  out!" She said, hurrying to follow after Raj.

 _"Tut tut, cherie_." Yvonne called after her, spreading her arms wide as she turned a slow circle. "This was many years ago, even for me! It is safe..." She said with a chuckle, before coming to an abrupt halt, frowning as she scratched her chin. "Well, except for the deadly traps. Watch your step, eh?"

 _"Now_  you're telling us?!" Diego cried, freezing mid-step as he glanced over to Taylor, who sniggered unhelpfully at his wide eyed expression.

"If this place is really that dangerous, it's probably best if some more of us wait outside." Sean suggested, glancing around the group worriedly.

"Might be a good idea." Diego agreed, spinning himself around and carefully placing his feet where he'd already stepped, retracing his path back to the entrance.

Taylor glanced over to Yvonne, as she leaned down to peer at a skeleton, with a metal rod protruding from its ribcage. "If anyone else feels too lily-livered, now's your chance."

"Taylor, you coming?" Diego called over, upon reaching the base of the stairs, looking back at his friend hopefully.

"No," Taylor said lightly, his eyes travelling over the bookcases and paintings on the upper level to avoid meeting anyone's gaze. He didn't want anyone to see the uncertainty he felt, and he was suddenly overwhelmed by the fear that his pilot would think him a coward, especially given the pirates goading. "I'm uh, I'm good." He said, swallowing thickly as he glanced at Jake, who was ignoring everything in favour of scouting out the long abandoned bar just a few steps beside him. He shook his head in irritation, trying to force his irrational feelings aside and focus on their task.

"B-bring it on! I ain't scared!" Craig jeered, looking around with wide eyes that clearly belied his declaration. The jock threw his arms up in an overly defiant gesture, accidentally knocking over a cobweb shrouded urn. Taylor turned his head sharply, immediately seeking out Jake's alert gaze, as he hear a series of clicks from somewhere nearby.

"Look out!" Yvonne cried, as a vertical line of darts flew across the room; aiming directly towards Taylor.

He quickly dropped into a crouched position, and found himself eye to eye with Jake, who'd done the same. "To the side!" The pilot ordered urgently, and Taylor felt his heart race as they somersaulted out of the way. They landed a short distance away, and Jake immediately rolled over Taylor, pushing him to the floor as he leaned over him, and grinned down at him proudly. "Nice moves!" The pilot approved, winking as Taylor propped himself up on his hands.

"You ain't seen nothing yet..." He promised lowly, a small grin tugging at his lips, while his heart fluttered and his stomach twisted into an uncomfortable knot from his conflicting emotions.

"Hmm," Jake hummed thoughtfully, beaming a wide grin at him as he leaned in closer. "Think I'll hold ya to that..." He murmured, as his lips approached Taylors.

Taylor lips parted, arching desperately to accept Jake's impending kiss, when he caught sight of Aleister. He gasped, realising the pale boy had been stood behind him but had failed to move in time, and had been struck by several darts as a result. He bit his lip and drew back from Jake, slipping past him as he hurried to break Aleister's fall, before he could hit his head.

 _"Argh..."_  Aleister groaned, looking down at the darts protruding from his chest. "Must be a sedative. Feeling... suddenly...  _knackered."_  The pale boy sighed, as Taylor glanced around and began shuffling Aleister over to a decaying sofa, laying him gently on the decrepit cushions.

"Aleister, are you okay?" Grace cried, rushing over to the pale boys side, as Taylor discreetly slipped out of her way.

"This ain't nap time, Malfoy!" Jake said teasingly, though his clear eyes held obvious concern as he strolled over to join them. He darted a look at Taylor briefly, who bit his lip and avoided his gaze, remaining focused on Aleister and Grace.

"Of course it is..." Aleister muttered sleepily, his eyes glazed as he recalled something from his childhood. "Eleven bells is always nap time... 'Sweep the floors and tidy faces, it's time to take our daily graces.'"

"You know," Lila said thoughtfully, her eyes wide and clearly panicked as she looked over Aleister. "I think I'd better get him to a safer location..." The tour guide said, as she carefully curved her arms beneath Aleister's back and legs, lifting him easily and carrying him towards the staircase.

"The  _hell?"_  Craig muttered, scratching his head in confusion as he watched Grace follow after them worriedly. "He's  _twice_  her size..."

"Please be careful in here, Taylor..." Lila called back, as she stalked towards the exit with Aleister. Taylor frowned after them, feeling uncomfortable from the tour guides warning; as he recalled her robotic obedience when Rourke had told her to go with Jake's distraction team, right before he revealed his true colours. He scratched his chin thoughtfully, before turning to find Yvonne begin stalking towards a curtained doorway.

"Ah!" She cried victoriously, peering past the heavy obstruction. "I think I see the... I mean  _my_  lockbox!" Taylor rolled his eyes as he fell into step behind the others, amused despite the churning in his gut, which the pirate seemed to inspire. Frowning at his own confusing emotions, he trailed behind the group as the pirate led them into a well appointed bedroom, where a lacquered coffer rested atop a canopied bed. He raised a brow, as Yvonne clicked her tongue in obvious disappointment. " _Quel dommage_. It is not the right one..." She sighed, squinting at the lid of the coffer suspiciously, before yanking out a folded piece of parchment. "What's this... A letter from Malatesta..?"

The pirate scowled, gripping the parchment tightly enough she almost tore it in two. "' _Yvonne, I knew you'd claw your way back from hell, you traitorous._..'" She paused, glancing around them as she cleared her throat and flushed pink.  _"Ahem._  Flowery language. Very flowery..." She said, in a deceptively innocent tone. "' _I hope you waste away in here, with only the memory of your greedy, filthy_...'" The pirate trailed off, feigning a yawn as she rolled her eyes. "Blah, blah, blah... ' _You'll never, ever find it. With spite, Mal.'"_  She said, looking around the room disinterestedly.

"Sounds like you two were close." Jake snorted, sniggering to himself, as Taylor was unexpectedly assaulted by a barrage of doubts at the pilots teasing.  _We're supposed to be close... But, what if I make a decision that pushes him too far..? What id I'm not enough_..? He wondered, running a hand through his hair distractedly as he glanced at Yvonne nervously, as the pirate gnashed her teeth together and tore the parchment to shreds.

"Malatesta, you corpulent beluga, you're wrong! I know exactly where you put it!" Yvonne bellowed, jolting Taylor out of his concerns, as he shook his head and turned towards the pirate.  _"Amis,_  as la Mer is my witness, you have my word we'll all be eating salmagundi in Bridgetown after we search one last location." Yvonne tossed aside the coffer in fury, and it bounced across the floor, coming to a halt at Quinn's feet. The lid popped open a crack and became stuck, allowing an object within to glint in the dim light.

"Ha, of course... Why  _not?"_  Taylor snorted, upon looking closer. "Because just one idol kicking my ass today just wasn't enough..." He muttered, as he walked over to Quinn dejectedly.

"Taylor, do you think you can get it out?" The redhead asked, her eyes locked on the amber idol within the coffer.

"I'm pretty certain, yeah..." Taylor scoffed, as he grabbed a brass candlestick holder from the fireplace mantel and wedged it under the lockbox's lid, attempting to pry it off. "Come on..." He groaned, as he applied more pressure, grimacing with the effort he exerted. Finally, the lids hinges cracked, and the box sprung open to reveal an amber idol; in the shape of a mermaid.

"It's so...  _beautiful..."_  Quinn gasped, reaching for the idol with an awed expression, as Taylor snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, maybe on the  _outside."_  He muttered scathingly, as Quinn lifted the idol free of the coffer and trailed her finger over the mermaids tail. After a moment of examining it, Quinn offered it to Taylor, who grimaced and stepped forward to take the idol from her; only to be pulled away instead.

"Boy Scout,  _don't_  -"

"I have to know..." Taylor said quietly, reluctantly meeting Jake's gaze as he gently freed his arm from the pilots grasp, taking his hand briefly and squeezing it in reassurance. As the pilot watched him with conflicted eyes, Taylor forgot all about the discomfort he'd felt since Yvonne had first shown interest in Jake, and he gave a weak smile as he leaned back. Jake realised too late what he was doing, his eyes widening as the fingers on Taylors free hand, grazed against the idol.

Instantly, he was ripped out of the manor, and hurtled through space and time once more. In a flash, he found himself back at Hartfield, watching Quinn as she sat alone on the edge of a park fountain. Taylor felt his heart clench, as she leaned forward, cradling her phone to her ear; the hurt in her expression impossible to mistake. "Yes, Mom, I just-" Quinn sighed, her fingers digging into her scalp in obvious frustration.

"-lucky I don't sue for malpractice." A feminine voice said through her phone, whom Taylor assumed was indeed Quinn's mother. "We need a second opinion. These doctors your father takes you to are  _idiots..."_

"Mom," Quinn said, as she bit her lip uncertainly. "I don't want to do this behind Dad's back-" She tried to explain, only for the voice on the phone to cut her off furiously.

 _"He_  takes you places behind  _my_  back!" Her mother said scathingly, her tone acidic even down the phone. "Like that channel five interview, practically begging for donations? You must've been  _humiliated..."_  Her mother muttered in disgust, as Quinn sucked in a deep breath and looked up at the stars, her eyes glittering with tears as she tried to draw strength from the beauty of the night sky above her. " _I'm_  the one who cares about your well being! He's just  _using_  you! I can't  _believe_  you would defend-"

Hot tears began to stream down Quinn's cheeks. She lowered her phone, allowing her mothers voice to fade into the background as she covered her face with her arm, sobs shuddering through her body. A gentle touch stirred her, and she looked up in surprise suddenly.

"Hi..." Grace said, tapping her fingertips together nervously, as she looked Quinn over in obvious concern. "I don't mean to bother, but, are you okay..?" She asked worriedly.

"Oh!" Quinn gasped, pasting a wide grin on her face, something she'd grown to be quite adept at in recent months. "Of course!" She giggled convincingly, tossing her hair back over her shoulder. "Thanks for asking. I'm great, really."

Grace hesitated a moment, watching Quinn quietly as she seemed to battle with herself. "I've been there too, you know? I know how intimidating and lonely college can be... But, you don't have to pretend to be okay all the time..." She said, her eyes kind as she examined Quinn knowingly.

Quinn looked down at her phone, where the call with her mother was still connected, the woman's lecture continuing unabated. It buzzed before Quinn's eyes, flashing with a new text message from her father.

**Call me. Got an idea. Don't tell your mother. She'll just get in the way again.**

"It's my parents." Quinn confessed suddenly, her brave exterior disappearing beneath a wave of fury, as the weight of her parents bickering crashed upon her shoulders once more. "They're always passive-aggressively fighting with each other, but they do it through me! Like, I'm just a  _pawn_  in their game..." Quinn sighed, her eyes welling with tears again as her rage subsided, replaced with a bitter melancholy, as Grace sat down beside her.

"A pawn, huh?" Grace said thoughtfully, leaning back in her arms as she carefully picked her words. "Well, I play a lot of chess, so... If you're just a pawn, all you gotta do is keep fighting..." The dark skinned girl advised, smiling over warmly as she continued. "And, when you finally make it to the other side; you'll be the queen you always carried inside you."

Quinn laughed dryly, wiping away her tears as she glanced over at Grace gratefully. "I'm Quinn. What's your name?" She asked, as a small smile tugged at her lips.

"Grace." The dark skinned girl replied, her eyes soft but filled with genuine kindness, as she smiled back at the redhead. "It was really nice to meet you, Quinn."

"You too, Grace." Quinn agreed, a lightness settling in her heart which she had not felt in some time. "See you around?"

"Sure hope so!" Grace giggled, beaming a wide smile at her, as she got to her feet and began walking away with her book bag, looking back to wave and smile before she reached the corner.

Quinn waved back, until the other girl had disappeared from sight. She turned, looking down into the fountain thoughtfully, where her reflection warped in the water. She then glanced at her phone, still buzzing with her father's texts, as her mother's voice still blasted from the tiny speaker. She lifted the phone, and after only a brief hesitation, dropped it into the fountain, watching it's screen until it flickered and died.

Taylor felt his heart ache for the redhead, her broken expression burning itself into his mind, as he was catapulted forward; the world blurring until it came to an abrupt halt, and he found himself high in the branches of the Vaanti village, Elyys'tel. Nearby, Quinn sat on a bridge, her legs dangling over the edge as she looked out at the infinite sea with a peaceful expression. "Quinn..." Taylor was startled by his own voice, and looked down to find he was in his own body, but was somehow not in control of it. His legs carried him forward, until he was sat beside Quinn, their legs pressed together in comfortable companionship.

"Oh..." Quinn murmured, looking surprised as she glanced up. Her eyes were glazed, but seemed to clear slightly as she smiled broadly at him. "I'm glad it's you." She hummed, as Taylor nudged her shoulder playfully.

"We did it, Quinn." He said, his beaming a bright smile at the redhead. "We saved the day! Can you believe it?"

"As a matter of fact, I can." She chuckled, taking a deep breath and sighing contentedly.

"Really?" Taylor laughed, his eyes crinkling in amusement. "'Cause I'm still a little out of it..." He admitted, sniggering to himself as she shook her head at him.

"Really." She said confidently, smiling up at him sincerely. "Because of  _you,_  Taylor." She said, a quiet giggle escaping her as his smug expression turned shocked. "More than this place, more than everything that's happened to us... it's  _you_  that makes me believe in the impossible."

"Good." Taylor said, recovering himself as he smiled at the redhead fondly. "Because we've still got a long road ahead of us, if we're ever gonna get out of here."

"Not me." Quinn said, shaking her head slowly as she looked back out at the ocean, smiling contentedly.

"Hm?" Taylor hummed, frowning as he turned to the redhead. "What do you mean?" He asked confusedly, as Quinn leaned against his shoulder and gazed out at the horizon.

Tearing up, her eyes shine like the sea beneath the sun. "Everyone fights so hard to have some say in their own life... to have some control over themselves." She said, shaking her head slightly as she chuckled dryly. "But im the end, all we really have control over, is whether we appreciated what we had."

"So..." Taylor asked slowly, his brow furrowed as he peered down at her hair, her face hidden from him. "Do you appreciate it?"

"I haven't always... but..." The redhead replied haltingly, as if struck by fatigue suddenly. "I do...  _now..."_

"Hey, are you okay?" The vision Taylor asked, while trapped inside of his own body, he was screaming at himself for being so blind. "Are you tired?"

Quinn's words grew softer and slower, her eyelids fluttering, barely staying open. "And when you finally make it to the other side..." She said slowly, her voice like a whisper. "You'll be the queen... you always carried... inside you." She sighed, as her body went limp, her head slumping heavily on Taylors shoulder.

"Quinn, hey!" Taylor laughed, jostling her gently as he grinned down at her. "Wake up." He snorted, before his expression faltered slightly, at her lack of a reaction. "... Quinn?" He asked tentatively, shaking her shoulder gently. "... Quinn." He tried again, a tendril of fear striking in his heart as the redhead remained unresponsive. "... Quinn, wake up." He sais, shifting and gently laying her across his arms. "...Quinn, you gotta wake up!"

Taylor snapped back to himself, suddenly back in the decrepit manor, his vision blurry from tears. "Taylor..?" Jake murmured, snatching the idol out from his hand and drawing him into his arms. "You're a goddamn idiot..." The pilot muttered, his large hand caressing the back of Taylors neck as he tried to get a grip on his emotions. "I do  _not_  like those damn things."

"Taylor? Why are you crying?" Quinn asked, stepping up beside them both with a worried expression, as she glanced between Taylor and Jake.

"I just..." Taylor said, swallowing thickly and painting the most convincing smile he could across his face. "I'm  _really_  glad you're here with us right now." He said, taking comfort from the pilot as he squeezed the back of his neck softly.

"Aw," Quinn cooed, nudging his arm playfully. "Right back at you!" She said, reaching up to brush away a tear as it rolled down his cheek, before turning away to explore the room.

Taylor swallowed, looking down briefly before Jake stroked the back of his neck gently, and drew him back to his shoulder, allowing him a moment of privacy to shed the few silent sobs which escaped him. "What was it..?" The pilot murmured at last, as Taylor took a deep breath and wiped his face.

"Quinn... Her illness..." He said haltingly, and the pilot nodded in understanding as he looked over at the redhead, who was laughing with Craig and Zahra on the other side of the room. "She, was leaning on me... In the Vaanti village. I didn't know... until it was too-"

"Hey, it ain't your fault, you know that, right?" Jake said firmly, his fingers curling beneath his chin and forcing him to meet his eyes. "Stop blamin' yourself for everythin', Taylor... We have a chance to stop it happening now, and we're gonna do everything we can, okay?" The pilot said reassuringly, his cerulean eyes sweeping over Taylors downcast expression.

"I..." Taylor hesitated, unable to out into words the deep sense of guilt he felt for Quinn's illness, and for her broken family. He shook his head and smiled weakly, as he curled his hand around Jake's beneath his chin. "... Okay..." He said quietly, as Jake narrowed his eyes at him. "Okay, okay, fine..." He giggled quietly, a more genuine smile forming on his lips as he felt a surge of affection for the pilot through his melancholy. "Not my fault... Sir, yes,  _sir."_  He said, chopping a rough salute which had Jake barking a quick laugh.

"That was awful." He huffed dryly, his clear eyes softening as they watched Taylor finally begin to regain his sense of humour. "Remind me to teach you to salute, proper."

"Really?  _Saluting_  lessons?" Taylor snorted, his smile growing as he shook his head, the pilot successfully driving the darkness from his heart with his inane banter.  _"That's_  what you most want to teach me?"

"Well, there is this plenty of other things I could teach ya, Boy Scout..." Jake hummed thoughtfully, leaning closer as his eyes glimmered playfully, and Taylors heart began to thump louder in his chest as he flushed with heat. "But I dunno if you'd be that receptive to a full rundown of nickname etiqu-"

"Oh my  _god,"_  Taylor laughed, shaking his head as he met the pilots eyes fondly. "You are  _terrible!_  That is  _not_  a real thing you teach people!" He sniggered, noticing Jake relaxed somewhat at his genuine amusement.

"Heh," Jake huffed, his brow raising in amusement, about to respond further when he jumped from a resounding slap to his ass. "What the-"

"Come,  _amis!"_  Yvonne grinned, winking at Jake salaciously, as the pilot snorted and turned towards her. Instantly, Taylor stomach dropped, his gut twisting as the pirate ran her eyes over his pilot appreciatively. "Be cautious on your way out of here, amis..." She warned, grinning at Taylor as she gestured for him to follow her."Mind every st-" She began, as a loud click rang through the room.

Taylor snapped his head around quickly, noticing a pressure plate sinking beneath Craig's foot. "What was that..?" Sean asked hesitantly, not daring to turn around.

"Oops..." Craig chuckled nervously, running a hand through his short hair as he glanced around the room.  _"Again..."_

 _"Dammit,_  Craig!" Zahra cried, scowling at the jock as pitch black smoke began to pour through unnoticed vents in the floor.

"Don't breathe that,  _mes amis_!" Yvonne called urgently, her eyes wide as she hopped up onto the bar. The cloud emerged through the doorway, causing the tattered curtain to billow outward. Taylor glanced at Jake, who was ramming the now sealed door with his shoulder, until a series of metal bars slid into place; sealing them all inside. Taylor glanced around at the heavy furniture, and was struck by a sudden brainwave.

"Sean, Craig!" He yelled, dashing over to a large, heavy bookcase. "Help me push down these shelves!" He cried, as the athlete and the jock sprinted over.

"On it!" Sean called, as Craig kept pace beside him.  _"Hup!"_  He growled, as he gripped the bookcase tightly around its side. Together, the three of them toppled the heavy bookcase onto the vents, efficiently covering them. Furball scurried along the edge of the bookcase, sealing it to the floor with ice.

"Good boy!" Taylor praised as the little fox completed his task, crouching and offering his arm, allowing the small animal to scamper up to the safety of his shoulders.

 _"Bien!"_  Yvonne cheered, winking at them as she grinned and looked around thoughtfully. "You've bought us some time, at least!" She said, as she began to cough.

" _Boy Scout_!" Jake called, hurrying over through the smoke, his mouth covered by his jacket, as Taylor began to cough.

 _"Jake!"_  He huffed, as the pilot grabbed his wrist and pulled him close, pressing his other sleeve over Taylors mouth to dull the smoke as he looked around frantically.

"There's still too much smoke!" The pilot said, his voice muffled slightly by his jacket but still understandable. "We gotta get outta here,  _pronto!"_

Taylor looked around as his friends began to succumb to the smoke. "Everybody, get higher!" He called, gesturing to the upper level. As everyone began scrambling for the stairs, Jake stuck close to Taylors side, ushering him up ahead of him.

 _"Kff..._  This escape room  _really means it_." Zahra huffed, as she made it to the top of the stairs, her hands on her knees as she coughed.

"Yvonne!" Taylor called, his hand on Jake's arm as his chest burned with the desire to cough. "This is where you tell us about another way out!" He called, his eyes beginning to water as they backed away from the dense smoke as much as they could.

"All the other doors were walled off...  _Hf-Kff_..." The pirate replied, waving her hat before her face to try and keep the smoke clear.

"Well that's just peachy, Buccaneer Barbie!" Jake growled, peering around frantically as he pushed Taylor further away from the smoke, as it became thick enough they could barely see the floor.

"Either we get ourselves out, or get the smoke out!" Seam called, his hand on the railing as he caught his breath. "Think fast, people!"

"Everyone stay clear! I'm going to ram the door!" Estela cried, as she picked up a brass floor lamp, and prepared to jump off the railing.

"There's a window near the ceiling!" Craig yelled over her, pointing towards the skylight. "I think I can climb up there!"

Taylor shook his head in frustration, sensing both plans were too risky and prone to failure. As he cast his eyes around the room below, he spotted an old cannon in the corner, and he immediately sought out the pirate. "Yvonne!" He called, waving so she would see him. "Throw me your flint and steel!" He yelled, and although she frowned, the pirate obeyed without hesitation. Taylor snatched both from the air, and turned to face Jake. "I don't suppose there's any chance you'd listen if I said 'please stay here'?"

"'Bout as much as you listenin' if I said 'don't go'." The pilot admitted with a shrug, taking Taylors hand and squeezing lightly. Taylor huffed an affectionate sigh, and shook his head as he tugged the pilot down the stairs after him, keeping a tight hold as he tried squint through the thick smoke. He led them over to the cannon, and quickly checked to see if it was functional. When he found it was loaded, he took it to be a sign, and hurriedly began checking the fuse. "I take it we ain't using this as a batterin' ram!" Jake called, coughing over the smoke, as Taylor shook his head, as he began to feel faintly dizzy.

"No, Top Gun," he said, "We're gonna blow out way out!" He added, swallowing thickly as he shook his head in disbelief of his own actions. "Ho boy..." He whispered, coughing as he frantically began to strike the flint and steel together over the fuse.

"This ain't exactly the kinda blow I was hopin' for today, Boy Scout!" Jake called, as he walked up behind Taylor and reached around him, taking the flint and steel in his steadier hands. "Aim it at the wall!" He barked, and Taylor hurried to obey, copying Jake as the pilot braced his back against the cannon. He grit his teeth as he pushed against the wall with his feet, and together they managed to shove it into position. "That's it, Boy Scout! Now, cover your ears! This is gonna be loud!" Jake said, as he struck the flint and steel over the fuse.

Immediately it began to hiss, and Jake yanked Taylor towards him, pressing him into an alcove and covering him with his body as Taylor wrapped his arms around the pilots ears. When the boom came, he felt it reverberate throughout him, the aftershocks making him feel queasy. A shower of plaster and bricks burst from a gaping hole in the wall, and Taylor cried out as he felt it spray towards them, fearful of the pilot being struck. The black smoke rapidly began drifting out through the hole, and cheering could be heard upper level, as Craig climbed down from the window and Estela dropped the brass lamp.

Jake drew back, breathing heavily as his clear eyes darted over Taylor, whose darker hues ran over the pilot quickly. "So," Taylor huffed, a small grin quirking his lips. "Not a good blow for you?" He asked, as Jake snorted and leaned forward to claim his lips in a relieved kiss. Taylor melted against him, pressing himself urgently against the pilot as he tried convey the fears which the pirate had installed in him. He thrust his tongue against the pilots, arching away from the wall as Jake's hand settled on his hip.

"Haha,  _mes amis_!" Yvonne cried, hopping down the stairs quickly and darting over to them. Taylor groaned, his head flopping back against the wall as he was overwhelmed by a wave of irritation. He watched with rising contempt as the pirate snagged Jake and pressed a fervent barrage of kisses to his cheeks, rolling his eyes as he pushed himself free from the alcove and moved toward the hole in the wall with a sinking feeling in his gut. "Such  _heroes!"_

"Now  _that's_  how you make an exit!" Raj cried, rushing over to the hole and offering Taylor his hand, helping him through the debris.

"You guys okay?" Michelle asked worriedly, hurrying over, though Taylor quickly waved her away. He grunted noncommittally, and trudged over to the nearest tree, where he propped himself to glare balefully at the new exit in the wall.

"We are now, thanks to some quick thinking from Taylor." Sean assured, brushing aside the blondes concerns with a wide grin.

"Indeed," Yvonne purred, stepping through the new exit as she winked at him and grinned broadly. Taylor felt the irritation in his gut swirl, and he quickly averted his eyes, frustrated with himself for letting the pirate get under his skin so easily. "Such an  _industrious_  boy..."

"Jake's the one did the work," Taylor grumbled, folding his arms over his chest as he avoided looking over at the group and tried to get a grip on his erratic emotions.

"Great work, you two." Sean said firmly, cutting off Taylors sour mutterings, as craig and Zahra furtively glanced over to check on each other.

"Stop staring." Zahra said awkwardly, ruffling her jacket around her neck and flicking her hair over her shoulder, as she ran her eyes over the jock.

"Huh? I'm  _not_  staring!" Craig denied, tugging his jersey sleeves down as he glared over at her.  _"You're_  staring!" He accused, as Taylor rolled his eyes at them both and sighed.

"So, where are we headed now?" He asked, pushing away from the tree he'd been leaning against as the pirate stalked over to him. He tromped his way over to the others, using them as a barrier between himself and the pirate, as she beamed over at them.

" _La Grotte a Bijoux_!" She cried cheerfully, squinting one eye at them as she grinned widely. "The Jeweled Cave!" She said, launching into a run toward the front entrance of the manor.

"Why's she heading back to the foyer?" Diego asked uncertainly, eyeing Taylor suspiciously as he ducked his head down to try and hide his irritated expression.

"Why are we following a pirate around? What's the meaning of life?" Jake asked with a huff of amusement, though he eyed Taylor with a raised brow as he hid at the back of the group. "Short Stuff, we could sit here and ask questions all day and be none the wiser."

"Agreed." Sean said, though he looked fairly uncomfortable to be agreeing with the pilot, who grinned smugly at him in response. "Let's just... get this done." The athlete said, moving away after the pirate. Taylor huffed as the group followed after Sean, narrowing his eyes as Diego sidled up beside him with a far too innocent expression.

"So..." Diego said lightly, glancing over with a knowing smile. "How's  _things..?"_  He asked politely, as Taylor rolled his eyes at his translucency.

"Fine." He replied sullenly, his eyes locking on the foyer as they approached.

"Cool, cool..." Diego hummed, grinning as he fell silent. Taylor glanced at him suspiciously, but when Diego merely grinned st him, he quickly averted his gaze. They made their way up the steps in an uncomfortable silence, but before they could follow the others and enter the foyer, Taylor finally sighed and stopped to lean back against a stone bannister.

"Little Miss Flirty Pirate has me all... tied up in knots." He admitted, running a hand through his hair in defeat.

"Yeah, dude... Kinda guessed that." Diego snorted, leaning his arms on the bannister so he could meet Taylors frustrated gaze. "Is there a particular reason why? Or is she just too much for you?"

"She just..." Taylor sighed, grimacing as he shrugged and looked back out towards the sea. "She makes me...  _uncomfortable."_

"Well, that's a word for it..." Diego sniggered, watching Taylor tense and frowning as he realised there was more to his friends discomfort than first met the eye. "What is it? Is she too touchy feely?"

"No, it's not..." Taylor began, before pausing and sighing heavily as he rolled his eyes. "Okay, yes, that is part of it..." He admitted, looking back to his friend as he bit his lip hesitantly. "She keeps  _touching_  Jake, and I-"

Diego's loud burst of laughter cut him off, and he scowled at his friend as he folded his arms over his chest petulantly. "Okay, yeah, sure... Laugh it up, by all means, Diego. Thankyou so much for your kind and understanding support of my emotional troubles." He said flatly, watching as his friend tried to tame his laughter.

"I'm sorry, Taylor!" Diego snorted, taking a deep breath and making a visible effort to keep a straight face. "It's just this doesn't sound so much like general 'emotional troubles' as it does 'jealousy'."

"Well... that's one word for it..." Taylor conceded with a heavy sigh, his face falling as he tried to find the words to explain himself. "It's not just the touching though its..." He paused, dragging a hand through his hair in frustration as he struggled to describe his feelings sufficiently. "You know, how I said I've lived through this, and we're on a replay?"

"Yeah, pretty hard thing to forget, that..." Diego said quietly, lowering his gaze to where he was leaning on his arms. "Kinda sucks how patchy that little gift of yours can be sometimes-"

"Dude, I'm so sorry for everything... you know that right?" Taylor said lowly, his heart aching at the reminder of his failure to save Diego from the Vaanti raid.

"Huh? Wait,  _what?"_  Diego balked, looking up sharply.  _"No!_  I didn't mean it like that! I meant, you know... It sucks you can't just think of what you wanna know, like how all this crazy is supposed to end."

"Trust me, I've tried..." Taylor said tiredly, scrubbing his hands over his face. "I had a nosebleed last night on the way to the cliffs with Quinn... I was fine," he reassured quickly, as Diego looked up worriedly. "The headache just came out of nowhere... But it passed. Whereas, if I try and focus too pointedly on something; it doesn't. My head would literally tear itself apart... If I kept at it. I can feel it."

"Okay... Well, new rule;  _don't_  do that." Diego said, swallowing heavily and running a hand through his hair, as Taylor snorted in amusement.

"Yeah, way ahead of ya there, buddy." He sniggered, shaking his head as he looked back towards the deceptively calm sea.

"So..." Diego hedged, scratching his nose uncertainly. "What's that got to do with you and your jealousy issues?" He asked, and Taylor grimaced at the reminder of their original conversation.

"Look, I don't know how many times we've all done this... I can't find the answer no matter how much I try..." He said, looking down at his hands as he fiddled with the button of Jake's camo jacket. "But... One thing I do know, without a doubt, is that... I've loved Jake,  _every_  single lifetime." He said with a sigh, as Diego frowned at him in confusion. "Now that I can remember previous lives... It's like the feelings I had then, and the feelings I have now... Are blending together. It's  _intense_  dude,  _amplified._  I mean, I love  _all_  of you... I'd do  _anything_  for any one of you, because you guys are  _literally everything_  to me. But  _Jake..._  Sometimes, it's actually kinda terrifying sometimes to feel  _so much_  for one person... because... I don't know if he could ever feel the same." He explained, unable to stop now that he'd finally found the words, as Diego took a deep breath and whistled thoughtfully. "I can't stand intimate situations, dude. I thought Sean was gonna kiss me once, and I nearly hurled. Estela was sucking snake venom out of a bite on my neck, and I literally threw her off me... I know, it's stupid and crazy and-"

"Dude, just  _breathe!"_  Diego cried, raising his arms to Taylors shoulders and shaking him lightly to grab his attention. "Taylor, I am hardly about to judge you... Look, this island is chock-full of crazy in every sense of the word, but... Dude, I gotta be honest; this just sounds like your in love..." His friend said,  _withdrawing_  his hands from Taylors shoulders as he grinned. "Really, really intense love apparently, but uh... still. Not something you should be wigging out about so much."

"How can I not?" Taylor growled, pacing away from the bannister, as he felt a ridiculous combination oh hope and resignation in his chest. "I mean here I am, acting stupid over what? A few slaps to the behind and a couple kisses on cheeks... But I can't help but wonder now; if they'd better together, because I... I keep pushing him. And-"

"Taylor,  _Taylor!"_  Diego called, finally blocking his friends oath and grabbing his hands, forcing him to stop both his pacing and his rambling. "I say this with much love and only minimal satisfaction; but  _shut up._.." Diego snorted, rolling his eyes at Taylors affronted huff. "Dude, you're over stressing. I can tell you now, Jake has not had eyes for anyone else since we got here. I don't think that's about to change any time soon."

"But, what-"

"Taylor!  _No."_  Diego said firmly, shaking his head as Taylor bit his lip, his stomach clenching and churning with nervous energy. "Taylor, you are  _allowed_  to be jealous when people seem to be making moves on the one you love... But, you  _don't_  have to feel guilty for feeling that way..."

Taylor looked at his feet, drawing a deep breath as he tried to accept the reassurance his friend offered him. As hard as he tried however, he found himself unable to shift the lingering doubt in his head or his gut. "Diego... I can't  _stand_  it..." He huffed weakly, shaking his head in resignation. "I feel like the bitter housewife in some awful tv drama..."

"Like, Desperate Housewives?" Diego asked unhelpfully, bringing a half grin to Taylors face as he snorted.

"Not  _that_  awful..." Taylor mumbled, nudging Diego with his shoulder briefly. "I can't keep letting myself get so wound up about this." He said finally, taking a deep breath and shoving all of his ridiculously overwhelmed emotions into a dark corner of his mind. "I'm probably just, overtired... Or something.

"Hmm, probably should have got some more  _sleep_  last night then." Diego hummed thoughtfully, laughing when Taylor flushed crimson. "Come on, assbutt... Let's go catch up with the others. Just do me a favour? Try and stop stressing over this... trust me when I say, that you have no reason to feel any of the crappy things you're feeling; and every reason to feel the good ones..." He said, smiling warmly at Taylor, who tried to offer a shy smile in return. "Also, please feel those good ones a little quieter, in future." Diego added, and Taylor gasped as he nudged Diego away from him.

"I... You...  _Oh my god_..." Taylor stammered, his cheeks staining red as they burnt with embarrassment. Diego snickered, and shoved him towards the manor entrance, as Taylor hung his head and buried his face in his hands; allowing his friend to guide him through the doors. They entered to find Yvonne digging through an old wardrobe, while Sean and Michelle talked quietly nearby, surreptitiously keeping an eye on the pirate. Taylor hesitated when he spotted Jake leaning against the wall nearby, gazing at the pirate with his clear eyes narrowed in thought.

Taylor felt his stomach clench painfully, Diego's arm on his back doing nothing to comfort him as he forced himself to look away, lest the bile he felt clawing at the back of his throat escape him. He turned instead towards Aleister, whose head was resting in Grace's lap, as she carded her fingers through his hair gently. "Just try to take it easy for awhile, okay?" She said softly, smiling down at him fondly.

"What I wouldn't give for a cup of chamomile with lemon..." Aleister sighed, brightening slightly as some memory floated to the front of his mind. "Mrs. Findleridge would always make me tea and a cucumber sandwich when I was... when I was..."

"Shhh..." Grace soothed quietly. "Just rest." The dark skinned girl encouraged, gently caressing her thumb over his cheek.

"Heh, Aleister's totally tripping!" Craig snickered, jostling Zahra conspiratorially. "Those booby trap darts must've really got to him."

"He's a little delirious right now, but it'll wear off in a bit..." Michelle called over, reassuring Grace as she frowned at Craig. 

Across the foyer, Yvonne kicked a stack of old papers, causing then to whirl lazily about the room. "Of course the map isn't here!" She spat furiously, glaring at the useless papers around her. "That would be  _too bloody easy_!"

"A map?" Diego asked, frowning as his eyes flickered between the pirate and his vest friend. "What about the one on the wall..?" He asked slowly, gesturing to a large map hanging on the lower foyer wall.

 _"Non,_  that is La Huerta." Yvonne sulked, scowling at the map accusingly. "I need the Sharktooth map." She sighed, straightening her hat and coat, before walking over to Taylor. "It seems I'll need to scout around for the cave's entrance. I know it's somewhere along the shore... but where?" She muttered, as Taylor took a large step aside to allow the pirate plenty of space to pass him.

"I think I saw some caves when we were checking out the island last night..." Raj said, frowning as he scratched his head thoughtfully.

" _C'est vrai_?!" Yvonne cried, her expression blossoming into a wide grin as she winked at the large boy suggestively.  _"Haha!_  Show me,  _Mon petit mangouste_!"

Taylor watched as everyone followed Yvonne outside, stepping back against the wall, to find himself left alone with Grace and Aleister. "You two gonna be okay in here?" He asked, as Aleister suddenly rose to his feet, his eyes wide as he wobbled and looked around in awe.

"Ah! Do you hear that?" He gasped, his head tilting as he began to listened to something only he could hear.

"Uh..." Taylor hesitated, glancing towards Grace briefly, before looking back to Aleister with a raised brow. "No..?"

"Street buskers, just like every Sunday in Russell Square!" The pale boy sighed, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "An oboe... and an accordian..." He said, as he began to sway on to the music of his memory.

"Aleister," Grace warned, rising to her feet and trying to placate him. "I think you're-"

"Dance with me." Aleister breathed, opening his arms to the girl, who stared in shock at the request.

"W-what?" She stammered, her eyes wide as she stared at the pale boy uncertainly, as Aleister waltzed across the foyer; his arms outstretched as if holding an invisible partner. "Oh... He's so graceful!" She gasped, watching in awe and longing as Aleister glided across the floor. "Do you... Do you think I should, Taylor..?"

Taylor rolled his eyes, folding his arms over his chest as he leaned against the wall. "Grace, he asked very nicely you know..." He said, his lips twitching in amusement. "What are you waiting for..?  _Go,_  dance with him!" He said, chuckling as she seemed to debate a moment longer, before heaving a great sigh and marching over to Aleister with a determined nod.

"Dance with me!" The pale boy repeated, smiling broadly down at Grace, nothing but adoration in his piercing blue eyes. Taylor grinned, leaning his head against the wall, as he watched Aleister sweep Grace into his arms and guide her in a circular pattern across the floor.

"I don't know how to..." Grace protested weakly, her eyes darting nervously to her feet in case she put one down wrong.

"Just follow my lead," Aleister encouraged, sweeping her effortlessly across the foyer and back in a beautiful whirl of motion. Taylor could almost see the lavish ball gown and fancy suit, as their eyes glued to each other. "One, two, three... One, two, three...  _Good!"_

"I..." Grace stammered, her eyes wide as she glanced down at herself with an awestruck smile. "I think I'm waltzing!" She breathed, as Taylor chuckled to himself, almost able to hear the music for himself as they danced and twirled across the foyer. Aleister's eyes locked with Grace's, and Taylor glanced away, feeling as if he were intruding on something private, as for several moments they whirled through the room in silence; lost in each other entirely.

"I've had this dream before." Aleister confessed in a quiet murmur, and Taylor began humming the most irritating tune he could think of in his head, trying to block out the intimate moment between the two. "Now that it's real, I-  _oof!"_  The pale boy gasped, as he tripped on a broken chair leg, and almost fell.

"Oh, careful!" Grace cried worriedly, reaching up to his shoulders as he stopped dancing, setting himself down on a bed of grass in the overgrown foyer.

"Apologies..." Aleister mumbled quietly, shaking his head as of to try and clear it. "I'm clearly a bit out of sorts."

"Just try to rest..." Grace soothed, kneeling beside him and reaching to smooth his hair out of his face. "I've never seen this side of you... I never knew you could dance like that!" She whispered, as she leaned in close to meet his eyes.

"I suppose, there are many things I keep hidden..." Aleister admitted quietly, as his hand moved to rest upon her arm. "Do you remember, the teacher we had... for Probability and Statistics?"

"Professor Vesker..?" Grace replied, uncertain of the sudden change in conversation. Aleister nodded, pointing up to an old painting of a cranky looking nobleman in a frumpy hat, on the level above them.  _"Hahaha!"_  She laughed suddenly, covering her mouth with her hand as her eyes shone with adoration.

"Don't you think?" Aleister pressed, his eyes soft as he drank in her smile and laughter. "Spitting image. I'm not proud to say it, but I got a B minus in that course." He confessed quietly.

"I didn't know that!" Grace said, her jaw dropping in surprise as she stared at him.

"Hmm," Aleister hummed, his eyes meeting hers with amusement. "Daydreaming too much... Hoping you might look my way."

 _"Aleister..."_  Grace sighed, her eyes pricking with tears as she bit her lip. Aleister swallowed hard, and slowly raised himself up toward Grace. He kissed her, tentatively at first, and then deeply and passionately as they both gave into their feelings. Taylor wrinkled his nose, and slowly began making his way toward the entrance. The pair separated as he reached the door, and he couldn't resist throwing Grace a sly wink as he stepped out the door, grinning widely as she giggled and blushed in response.

Aleister followed her gaze and seemed to notice Taylor for the first time. "I'm, ah..." He said, clearing his throat as his cheeks stained pink. "Feeling much better now. Thanks, Taylor." He said, tipping his head briefly, before looking back to Grace.

Taylor shook his head, sniggering as he made his way out the entrance. He caught sight of the rest of the group further up the beach, and slowly made his way over smiling to himself as he recalled the absolute mesmerisation of Grace and Aleister as they danced together. He dug out his phone quickly, bringing up the photo of Quinn's painting, his heart clenching at the stab of uncertainty he felt upon seeing it now. With a sigh, he shoved his phone back into his pocket, and hurried up the beach.

He caught up with the group beside a half submerged cave mouth, along the shore. The path inside was completely collapsed by rubble, however, and Taylor frowned as Yvonne kicked at the blockage viciously.  _"Bah!"_  She cried furiously, "My treasure is inside this cave, but there is no way in!" She growled, her fists clenching at her sides. "If I could spit in Malatesta's pox-blighted face right now..." She muttered darkly, scowling into the distance.

Furball leaned his head down to look into the water, only to suddenly jump back with a yip of surprise.  _"Mreek!"_

"There's some kind of light down there!" Lila gasped, leaning over where the fox had looked, and pointing towards glints of rainbow coloured light that appeared in the depths, seeming to come from somewhere within the cave.

 _"Whoa!"_  Raj cried, his eyes wide as he stared in awe at the glimmering lights. "You guys see that..? What is it..?"

"The jeweled cave takes its name from thousands of luminous crystals, growing along its walls..." Yvonne explained, peering at the water thoughtfully. "It has been many years, but I recall it being truly  _magnifique."_  She said with a sigh.

"Sounds like one hell of a show..." Jake said, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, as he looked over at Taylor with a crooked grin. "Too bad the entrance is caved in."

"If we can see the light through the water," Estela said slowly, her eyes narrowed at the colourfully lit water. "That means there must be an opening down there."

Jake hummed, looking around and grabbing a piece of driftwood, hesitating briefly, before dipping it gingerly until the water. "Guess there ain't no klaa-whatevers." He said thoughtfully. "Should be safe enough to swim. Any volunteers?" He asked innocently, his eyes drifting to Taylor and running over him with a raised brow.

"I could go with you, Top Gun..." Taylor offered, feeling strangely shy as a small grin tweaked at his lips, as the pilot grinned and winked at him.

 _"Knew_  you were gonna pick me." Jake said smugly, beaming a wide smile at him. "Didn't doubt it for a  _second."_  He added, making Taylors heart flutter with guilt. He lowered his eyes, as he bit his lip, hoping to hide his expression from the pilot.

"We don't know how long the underwater passage might be..." Yvonne said, glancing around the group speculatively. "Could be a very long time without air."

"My record in the Navy was nine minutes." Jake bragged smugly, and though Taylor laughed at his cocky attitude, he felt his heart begin to sink, knowing his limit would hardly match up to the pilots. "Pretty sure I can still get close to that."

"Nine,  _ami?"_  Yvonne purred, eyeing Jake as she licked her lips suggestively, and Taylor felt a stab of irritation in his gut. "Just enough time for some do good admiral to reload and ain for your head when it pops back up." She sniffed dismissively. "I can hold it in for twelve minutes, which is-"

"Fourteen." Estela said bluntly, causing pirate and pilot both to look over at her in surprise. "I can hold my breath for fourteen minutes." Estela explained, rolling her eyes at their blank expressions. "So you  _both_  lose."

The three turned towards Taylor expectantly, who frowned at the bitter taste of resentment in the back of his throat. "I can't match those times." He said simply, shrugging as he looked away from them all, hoping his emotions didn't show on his face.

"In any case, Taylor, you should stay here." Yvonne called, as she stepped over to the water and crouched to dip her fingers in, testing its temperature. "It's too dangerous for someone of your...  _delicate_  constitution." She said, her tone heavy with implication as she settled her eyes onto Jake.

"Yeah," Taylor said bitterly, swallowing heavily as his eyes stung with rejection. "Guess I'll have to leave it to the Guinness World Record crew." He said, taking a step back and turning to head back to the manor.

"Taylor-"

"Oh,  _wait!"_  Lila cried suddenly, and Taylor half turned back, pretending he hadn't heard the pilot call to him. "I have something for this!" The tour guide continued, dropping to her knees and removing her backpack. "I knew we'd need it eventually. I found it back at The Celestial!"

"Let me guess, one of the guests abandoned luggage cases?" Taylor huffed, as the tour guide nodded happily. "Why am I not surprised?" He muttered, as he peered over Michelle's shoulder, intrigued despite his bitterness as to what the tour guide had found. He watched as she pulled out a green and black wetsuit, along with a scuba tank.

"Well, whaddya say, Boy Scout?" Jake called, almost urgent as he grinned over at him hopefully. "In that, you could come with me into the cave after all." He said, sidling over to take Taylors hand and lean in close, his lips brushing against his ear. "Besides... wouldn't mind seeing you in something... skintight."

Taylor hesitated, glancing to Yvonne uncertainly, his heart fluttering with hope while his stomach cramped with indecision. He bit his lip, wincing at the stab of pain it induced, until Jake gently pried it free with his thumb, forcing Taylor to meet his eyes.  _"Please,_  Boy Scout..?"

"You never say please." Taylor muttered quietly, his eyes darting to the pirate briefly.

"I do when it's somethin' I want bad enough." Jake admitted quietly, huffing a dry chuckle as he stepped back from Taylor slightly. "Which, just so happens, always seems to be something to do with  _you."_

Taylors heart swelled, his stomach fluttering as his cheeks flared with heat. He glanced at the scuba gear Lila held out to him, then to the pilots cautious but hopeful gaze, and slowly reached to take the acuba gear. "I'll... see if it fits..." He hedged, neither promising bot denying he'd go, though the tiny grin which tugged at his lips some of his hopes. He stepped around the side of the cave, and as soon as he was clear of everyone's view, he closed his eyes and sucked in a giant breath of air. He bit his lip, ignoring the pain from the wounded area, before hurriedly stripping out of Jake's camo gear. He carefully stepped into the wetsuit, and tugged it snugly around himself, running the zip up his back quickly. He took a deep breath, his heart racing at the thought of spending some time truly alone with the pilot. He picked up the scuba tank and mask, and collected Jake's folded camo gear fondly, before stepping back around the edge of the cave.

"Look's like another diver just showed up!" He sniggered, as the group cheered his return. Diego skipped to his side, laughing as he took Jake's camo gear and gave him a goofy thumbs up as Taylor flushed pink.

"With that tank, you can stay below for an hour if you want to." Lila informed him, giving him a wide and warm grin.

"I do not know what magic you are working with this contraption, but I dare not test it." Yvonne said, eyeing the scuba tank distrustfully. She pouted as she glanced at Jake, before waving her hand at him dismissively. "You may go." She sniffed, and Taylor felt utterly justified in his smugness, at her crestfallen expression.

"Wasn't asking your permission." He replied gleefully, beaming a wide grin at her, as he strapped the mask into place over his face. He watched as Jake stripped down to his shorts, a familiar swirl of desire radiating from his heart at the sight of the pilots bared skin.

"You ready for this, Boy Scout?" Jake asked, as he tossed his clothes into a pile by the cave mouth, his clear eyes locking onto Taylor as he stepped closer and offered his hand.

"I think so..." Taylor said nervously, his heart in his throat as he slid his hand into the pilots.

"Well, we might as well go check on Aleister and Grace..." Michelle said, heading back towards the manor with a cheerful wave, Sean wandering alongside her with a faint hint of disappointment to his expression.

"Yeah, this could be a long ass wait... Raj, you ever find any rum?" Craig asked, as he plonked himself onto the sand.

"No dude, but I found the next best thing!" The large boy replied with a smug grin, drawing a bottle of tequila from his bag.

"... How is that even comparable to rum?" Zahra grumbled after a moments pause, though she didnt hesitate to sit down beside the pair.

"Eh? What is going on?" Yvonne asked, her eyes wide as Taylor and Jake approached the water at the mouth of the cave.

"Any time those two are alone, we end up waiting at least an hour for them to..." Quinn began, hesitating as she tried to think of a tactful explanation.

"They fuck. Regularly." Estela said bluntly, as Quinn giggled and Taylor turned red, though he grinned at the pilots suggestive wink. "Get settled in for a long wait." She advised, before moving away to sit and watch the sun glitter against the ocean.

Jake ignored the group entirely, his eyes focused on Taylor as they submerged themselves to their shoulders. He tugged Taylor close, squeezing his fingers gently as he raised them briefly to his lips. "Just hold onto me..." He murmured quietly, as Taylors heart pounded against his ribcage. "And  _don't_  let go." The pilot said, and Taylor tilted his head curiously at the strange emphasis the pilot imbued in his words.

"I can do that..." Taylor replied quietly, as Jake took a deep breath, and they dove beneath the surface. They swam downwards together, and at one side of the submerged rubble, they found a gap which allowed entrance to the cave. Jake threw him an excited grin, and ushered Taylor through ahead of him, before slipping through himself. On the other side, Taylor waited, offering his hand to the pilot once more, and feeling his heart race when he accepted and swan ahead slightly; tugging him alongside him.

He drifted beside Jake, their fingers intertwined as the pilot looked back at him, and smiled. The two of then continued on through a winding tunnel, rainbow hues shining into the water from somewhere ahead. After a couple more minutes of swimming, the tunnel began to wide . The water became noticeably warmer as they reached a new surface, discovering a kaleidoscopic display of shimmering, colourful crystals waiting to greet them; as they took in the vast cavern.

Taylor found his feet, as he took off his mask, standing in the shallows of a lake. A short distance away, was a small island, with a chest sat upon it. "Oh,  _wow..."_  Taylor gasped, as he looked around with wide eyes.

"You ain't kiddin'." Jake murmured, peering around the cave in wide eyed wonder himself. Taylor smiled softly, paddling towards the island, when he felt a jet of warm bubbles against his leg.

 _"Whoa!"_  He gasped, wobbling slightly, until the pilot caught and steadied him.

"This place is a giant jacuzzi!" Jake scoffed, shaking his head in bafflement. "What kind of Niagara Falls honeymoon suite did we just swim into?"

Taylor shook his head, unable to find words to reply, as he tossed his scuba mask onto the small island, and they sat to enjoy the warm jets. "It must be a natural hot springs..." He said at last, looking up at the crystals above them. "This feels amazing!"

"No argument here." Jake agreed, closing his eyes as he enjoyed the sensations. Taylor looked over to the pilot, watching as his wet hair dripped onto his shoulders, causing rivulets if water to run down his lean and muscular body. His breath caught, as his heart skipped a beat, and he was rushed by a great swell of affection for the pilot. "You just gonna stare at me all day? Not that I mind..." Jake murmured, and Taylor yelped, glancing up to find the pilot watching him with obvious amusement.

"I..." He stammered, flushing crimson as he turned away, biting his lip as he felt a guilty grin tug at his lips. "Maybe I like the view..." He said, splashing Jake lightly as he looked back at the crystals in the walls. Despite his racing heart, and the desperate desire in him to kiss the pilot, he couldn't shake the nagging in the back of his mind that something had changed between them.

He tensed, as he heard the water slosh around them, as Jake shifted closer and pressed their sides together. "Ya know, you've been off for awhile now." He commented lightly. "Ya wanna tell me about it?"

 _"No."_  Taylor said quickly, his cheeks burning with embarrassment just at the thought of admitting his discomfort.

"Hmm, so..." Jake hummed thoughtfully, "this  _doesn't_  have anything to do with Buccaneer Barbie and her touchie feelie ways?" He asked, as Taylor choked loudly.

"What?  _No!"_  Taylor scoffed, trying to laugh but only succeeding in making a strange wheezing sound. "That would be-"

"I hated it." Jake said, and Taylor fell silent, frowning in confusion as the pilot turned and met his gaze. "You gave her that stupid sword, and she  _touched_  you.  _Kissed_  you, cheek though it may've been... and I was..." Jake paused, swallowing heavily as he glanced away.

Taylor stared in stunned silence, his heart racing as his stomach clenched, but this time; with hope. "Jealous..?" He asked hesitantly, biting his lip as his ears rang with the sound of his own blood rushing through his veins.

Jake stared down at the water for a moment longer before nodding, looking up slowly.  _"Crazy_  jealous... 'Cause, I  _knew_  there was no way you'd-"

"I'm sorry." Taylor said quickly, his fingers clenching beneath the water. He looked up to meet Jake's clear eyes, his expression filled with guilt as he huffed a half hysterical chuckle. "I... It bugged me out. I just, she kept... I couldn't..." He choked, trying and failing to explain all the things he'd told Diego, but nothing would come.

"Yeah, she's a handful, huh?" Jake muttered, nudging him lightly with his knee. "But... She has one very big flaw." Jake said, a slow grin blossoming across his face. "She  _ain't_  my Boy Scout."

Taylor swallowed heavily, his heart racing as the guilt and jealousy was overwhelmed by his affection for the pilot. "I thought you'd think I was crazy... too, serious, or something..." He mumbled, as his eyes stung with tears of relief. He watched Jake hang his head and snort quietly, biting his lip briefly before deciding to throw all caution to the wind and let his heart lead him entirely. He slowly leaned toward the pilots face, and as he raised his head to speak, he briefly brought his lips to Jake's.

"Hmm..." The pilot hummed appreciatively, his eyes softening as he ran them over Taylor fondly. "...Well, hello there." He murmured, a crooked grin forming as Taylor giggled.

 _"Hey."_  Taylor replied quietly, sucking at the wounded spot on his lip gently, as he felt his body begin to flare with heat, arousal swirling through him as he stared at the pilot and drank in every detail he could.

"Got, uh" Jake began, hesitating purposefully as he turned himself to face Taylor, drawing him into the slightly deeper water so they could stand. "Got any more where that came from?"

"Hmm..." Taylor hummed, looking at the crystals above them briefly as he pretended to consider. "I  _might..."_  He admitted, as he returned his gaze to the pilot, his arms rising to the pilots shoulders, as he felt Jake's arms slide around his torso beneath the warm water. He barely had time to inhale a breath, before their lips were inexorably drawn together. As Jake kissed him with a long, rapturous kiss, Taylor felt his resentment, his bitterness and jealousy fade away; leaving only his contentment, adoration and desire to be with the pilot always. When they finally separated, he found Jake gazing into his eyes, and he grinned as he averted them shyly.

The chest on the island caught his gaze, and he slid his arms from Jake's shoulders, his fingers trailing over his bare torso slowly, as he peeked up at him from beneath his lashes. He felt a curl of heat bloom in his gut, as he took Jake's hand and tugged him towards the island. They found the lid of the chest was firmly held in place by a lock, and Taylor snorted as he rolled his eyes.  _"Tch."_  He scoffed.  _"Figures."_  He turned to watch, as Jake swam to a deeper part of the lake. Taylors breath caught in his throat, as waves of reflected light danced across the bottom in a myriad of colours.

"It's beautiful over here..." Jake called, his tone surprisingly gentle as he locked his smoldering eyes onto Taylor. "Come check it out with me?"

Taylor smiled warmly, wading into the water as he felt the heat swirling in his gut begin to intensify. "You bet." He said, as Jake grinned at him, before diving below the surface. Taylor giggled as he swam over to where the pilot had been, taking a deep breath before diving down to meet him, the two of the coming together in the depths. Jake grinned widely, his hand outstretched towards him as the crystalline lights reflected off his muscular body.

Taylor fell into his arms, the pilots hands sliding around him to slowly pull down the zipper of his wetsuit. Taylor bit his lip, as he helped Jake peel the suit from his body, his arousal clear to see as Jake pulled the tight suit down his legs. Instinctively, Taylor reached for Jake's remaining clothes; the silent understanding between them that they each needed to feel their bodies as one. Jake's sandy hair swirled around his face, framing the pure desire in his eyes, as Taylor reached for a strand and gently swept it away from his face. No longer focused on swimming, they rose to the surface, their fingers lacing together as Jake guided them over to a sandy shore at one side of the lake.

Taylors heart raced in his chest, as he laid back against the sand, watching Jake's dripping body as it slowly rose from the water and covered his own. He shivered at the hot flesh which pressed against his own arousal, as Jake began to lay fleeting kisses against his stomach, his chest, and finally his throat. He arched against the pilot, his arms wrapping tightly around his shoulders as he wove a hand into his hair, and encouraged him ever closer. He moaned softly, turning his head and allowing Jake better access to his throat, as the pilot rocked against him. He nipped lightly Jake's shoulder, trailing light kisses down his arm, until the pilot finally drew away from his throat, and claimed his lips in a slow and passionate kiss.

 _"Mmm..."_  He gasped, arching against Jake as the pilot slid a hand down his side and gently grasped his thigh, guiding it higher around his waist as his cock brushed against Taylors ass. Taylor broke free of their kiss, his eyes lowering to where his hand snaked down to stroke the pilots hard flesh. He sucked at his injured lip, as he slowly guided the pilots cock into him. He gasped, arching as Jake's eyes locked onto his, and he slowly sank deeper into him. Taylor bit his lip, before leaning up to recapture the pilots slow and consuming kiss. His fingers caressed Jake's shoulders and sides, coloured light dancing over their bodies, as they moved in perfect harmony against each other. His hips rose to meet Jake's thrusts, as his tongue grazed against the pilots, drawing him deeper into himself as he dug his fingers into Jake's back. Jake's hands never stopped moving, constantly brushing over Taylors body as if trying to map it out to memory. Every press and twist if his body against Taylors, made his skin tingle with pleasure, and a low stream of moans and whimpers escaped him; immediately swallowed by the pilot.

 _"Hnn..."_  He groaned, as his body began to swirl with a familiar heat. He pulled his pilot closer, his body arching insistently against Jake's as he sought friction for his aching cock.  _"Jake..."_  He gasped, the sound a whisper as the pilot drew back, lacing their fingers together as he rocked deeply into Taylor, his free hand wrapping around Taylors cock and stroking him to climax. His eager eyes drank in the sight of Taylor coming undone, before he sank back into their kiss, which turned hungry, as Taylors ass throbbed around him. Taylor drew Jake closer, their hearts racing against each other, as the pilot finally shuddered and groaned; his kiss pausing briefly as wet warmth flooded Taylors ass. He brushed his lips gently against the pilots, wrapping his arms loosely around his shoulders and caressing the back of his neck as he squeezed his thighs around him.

Jake returned the light kiss, as his fingers grazed Taylors cheek, and after several long minutes had passed, he rolled his exhausted body to the side. They lay on their backs in the sand, their hands finding each other naturally as Jake stared over at him in obvious awe. "Every time..." He murmured, his fingers rising to Taylors cheek, as he shook his head in disbelief.  _"Fireworks..."_

Taylor smiled, biting his lip as his heart swelled with love for the other man. He lowered his gaze shyly, only for Jake to roll on his side and draw his chin up, a beautiful grin lighting his face as his soft gaze rested on Taylors flustered expression. "How do you  _do_  that, anyway?" The pilot murmured, his head dipping to litter light and scratchy kisses to Taylors shoulder.

"I don't think it's  _me..."_  Taylor said quietly, drawing Jake's fingers from his chin and kissing them softly, before looking up at Jake with such open adoration, that the pilot clearly skipped a breath. "It's  _us."_  He whispered, squeezing Jake's hand as the pilot surged forward and stole an urgent kiss from his lips.

"That was corny as hell, Boy Scout... Ya know that, right?" Jake chuckled, as he drew back and gazed at Taylor with fond affection. "I'll let'cha slide this time though, but only 'cause I dig it." Taylor sniggered, curling against the pilots side as he felt warmth radiate through his chest. "I uh, I gotta say-"

"Hey, look..." Taylor said, raising his head from Jake's shoulder, as a ray of sunlight caught his attention; as it shone in for just a moment, from a small crack, high up in the cavern wall.

"Huh," Jake huffed, "You seein' what I'm seein'?" The pilot asked, raising himself on his arms as he peered at the crack for himself.

"Sunlight!" Taylor gasped, glancing at the pilot in with wide eyes, before pushing to his feet. "Maybe there's a way in for the others!"

"Huh," Jake hummed, rising himself and stepping closer as he grinned broadly, winking suggestively. "Almost forgot all about the Odd Squad..." He admitted, chuckling as Taylor flushed pink and leaning in to kiss him again.

"We should really check that opening out..." Taylor mumbled against his lips, his heart fluttering as he smiled, when neither of them moved.

Jake grinned, drawing back just enough to meet Taylors eyes with obvious amusement. "Five more minutes!" He sniggered, before his hand cupped Taylors cheek and drew him into another deep kiss.

Taylor forgot about anything that wasn't Jake, his heart light and utterly consumed with his desire and affection for the pilot. He lost himself to the feel of the other mans lips against his own, to the pilots breath stealing kiss, and his fingers curled into Jake's hair as he held him close against him. When Jake finally released him, considerably longer then five minutes later, both were panting heavily for breath; their eyes locked in a heated gaze. "We should... check out that light..." He murmured, forcing himself to take a step back from the pilot, taking a deep breath to try and clear his head.

"Right..." Jake muttered, clearing his throat as he raked his eyes over Taylor appreciatively. "Should probably get you covered up before we do anythin' else." He said, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as Taylor hid an embarrassed grin behind his hand.

"Not just me, Top Gun." Taylor said, winking as he bit his lip and clutched his hands behind his back, trying to keep himself from touching the pilot further. Jake grinned widely, and chuckled dryly as he tilted his head towards the water. Together, the two of them fished their clothes out of the lake, and quickly wrung them out before redressing. As Taylor was about to zip his wetsuit up, he felt Jake press against his back, the pilots fingers deftly taking the zip from him as his lips brushed against his ear.

"I could easily look at you all day..." The pilot murmured, and Taylor grinned as his heart raced, half turning to look over his shoulder at the other man. "But I'll be damned I I let that Pirate Pest catch sight of you." He said lowly, as he slowly tugged the zip higher. "She's  _way_  too handsy already."

"It's  _you_  she keeps touching..." Taylor protested, giggling as Jake's stubble tickled behind his ear. "I thought  _I_  was the one feeling insecure..."

"Taylor... what did you think I was askin' in the bar, before we left the hotel?" Jake asked quietly, his nose trailing under Taylors jaw as he pressed open mouthed against his throat, his wide grin obvious against Taylors skin.

"Uh... I wasn't really, too  _coherent..._  right then..." Taylor hedged, his breath catching as Jake bit gently against the joint between his neck and shoulder. "Kinda... had  _bigger_  things on my mind..." He mumbled, arching his neck to give the pilot more room.

"Hmm..." Jake hummed, "I was askin' if this was just casual to you." The pilot admitted, his arms circling around Taylors torso, as he finally drew the zipper to the top of the wetsuit. "'Cause..." Taylor felt his heart lurch, his hands raising to the pilots arms as his breath caught, drawing his lip between his teeth to keep the hopeful grin from his face. "It ain't to me."

Taylor felt his heart burst with overwhelming affection and joy, turning in the pilots arms and crashing their lips together in a passionate kiss which he hoped would convey his sense of relief and desire. He felt a deep rumble of laughter through the pilots chest, though it did not affect his reciprocation of Taylors kiss, as tongue, teeth and lips collided hungrily. When he finally released the pilot, Jake was grinning broadly, his smugness evident from his cocky wink. "I, uh... We should...  _Hmm."_  Taylor babbled, gesturing to the high crack where the sunlight occasionally broke through, as he cleared his throat loudly and flushed crimson.

Jake sniggered, taking pity on him as he took his hand and led him over to the wall with the crack. With a brief glance at each other, they began to use the crystals as grips, and climbed the wall quickly until they reached the fracture. "The wall's crumbling here..." Taylor said, frowning thoughtfully as he readjusted his grip to free one of his hands. "I think if I..." With some pushing, he managed to open a small pathway, and spotted the others waiting below.

"How y'all doin' down there?" Jake drawled, saluting as they looked up and began looking around for them.

 _"Whoa!"_  Craig cried, his eyes wide as he got to his feet and pointed up at them. "I see Taylor and Jake!"

 _"Finally!"_  Estela groused, getting to her feet and dusting herself off impatiently, as Quinn giggled beside her.

 _"Amis!"_  Yvonne called, jumping up from where she sat against a tree, as she made her way over to them. "Thank la Mer! I thought you'd crawled into Davy Jones locker!"

Taylor and Jake exchanged a heated glance, sniggering as Zahra scoffed loudly. "Pretty sure that ain't where Jake was-"

Taylor coughed loudly as he jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "Come on in." He called quickly, wiggling his brows suggestively. "You guys will want to see this!" He said, climbing back down the wall as the group made their way up to the crevice and entered the cave.

"Daaaamn, son!" Raj cried, his eyes huge in his head as he peered around the cave in wonder, while Yvonne swam directly toward the chest and began working to pick the chests lock.

"Wait, Taylor..." Diego said quietly, drawing his friend aside with a twitch to his lips which Taylor immediately distrusted. "I just... Is there somewhere I should like, avoid, in here..?" He asked, as Taylor rolled his eyes and looked over at Jake with a guilty grin. The pilot winked at him, his eyebrows raised in amusement as he awaited Taylors response.

"I guess..." He hummed, his lips curving into a mischievous grin as he shrugged his shoulders. "Everywhere..?" He asked innocently, as Jake gave a rough bark of laughter, turning away with a proud shake of his head.

"Oh..." Diego groaned, his face falling slightly as he looked around the cave again. "This place just got so much less beautiful, and so much more traumatic..." He sighed, though a small grin teased at his lips as he watched Taylor radiate happiness. "I uh, take it the talk went well then?" He asked, as Taylor snorted and rolled his eyes.

"You know," he said, pointedly avoiding Diego's question. "I bet you'd soon see the beauty of this place again... If  _Varyyn_  were here." He teased, smirking when Diego choked and stammered awkwardly. "Heh, reap what you sow, dude." Taylor sniggered, as Yvonne began cursing loudly.

"Hey, wait..." Diego called, his cheeks stained red as he gratefully jumped on the potential change of topic. "Don't you have a key? I thought it was your lockbox..." He said as the pirate scowled at the object, unable to spring it open.

"I, ah... lost it." She hedged, pushing to her feet as she scratched her head guiltily. "But, I  _do_  have this!" She cheered, as she pulled out her pistol and promptly blasted a hole in the chests locking mechanism. " _Et la_!" She cried victoriously, as she pried the lid open. Coins and valuables went flying across the area, as she impatiently dug through the chest.

 _"Wooo!"_  Craig cheered, laughing at the shower of gold. "Make it rain!"

"Hey, that's good stuff!" Zahra admitted reluctantly, her eyes wide as she peered around the valuable items. As if on the same wavelength, Craig and Zahra scrambled to gather pieces of treasure, before they can roll into the water.

Taylor watched his friends with amusement, as Michelle grabbed a diamond studded tiara, and Raj swooped in on a giant gold chain. However his attention was drawn to Yvonne, when the pirates eyes widened, as she slowly lifted a beat up compass out of the chest. He tilted his head curiously, as she glanced around the group furtively, before quickly pocketing the device and then addressing the group. "Fortune has certainly cursed me, for what I seek is not here either." She sighed forlornly, as Taylor rolled his eyes at her dramatic scene, his lips quirking in amusement as he folded his arms over his chest. "Malatesta, you thrice damned boot licker!" She wailed furiously, throwing her arms up in the air and sitting down in a melodramatic show of defeat.

"So..." Taylor hummed thoughtfully, as he stepped over to the pirate and crouched before her, gapping his finger to his chin mockingly. "What was it  _exactly,_  that you just put in your pocket then?" He asked, raising a brow as she drew in a great gasp.

"...  _Pardonnez moi?_ " She demanded, her eyes wide as she stared at Taylor in blatant panic. "My English, you see... it is not always so good-"

"C'mon, Yvonne." Taylor snorted, holding out his hand expectantly. "Out with it." He sniggered, enjoying himself as Yvonne squirmed in obvious discomfort. Finally, with a heavy sigh, she reluctantly pulled out the compass and dropped it sullenly into Taylors palm. Taylor had barely examined it, turning it gently between his fingers, when Yvonne suddenly snatched it back again.

"I merely take my old compass in order to navigate my way to safer shores..." The pirate said, gesturing vaguely toward the rest of the treasure in an attempt to distract him. "The rest of the booty, I leave most graciously to all of you."

"Uh huh," Taylor said flatly, raising a dubious brow at the pirate.  _"Sure."_

"In any place, a deal's a deal." Yvonne said brusquely, hurrying to push to her feet. "Let's be rid of this place." She said eagerly, marching toward the hidden opening, with the others trailing behind.

Taylor trailed behind, his lips curling with satisfaction, as he remembered his time in the cave with his pilot.  _If there's one place we've found so far, that I wouldn't mind staying in a little longer... This would probably be it._  He thought, sighing as he felt a happy sense of excitement buzzing through him. He glanced up, to find Jake watching him, and he could do nothing to stop the sappy grin which consumed his face as the pilot winked at him.

They emerged from the cave into a bracing gust of wind, and the pirate turned serious as she glanced up at the sky. "We can make use of this wind, amis!" She cried, beginning to sprint down the beach. "To the boat!" As the group made to follow Yvonne, Taylor stopped suddenly, gasping as he was struck by a hard stab of forboding in his gut. He panted for breath, his hands curling around his stomach as he bent double, gritting his teeth against the ominous feelings.

"Taylor!" He raised a hand at the sound if his name, as he heard soft footsteps rushing towards him, and two very different hands grasping either arm to brace him. He looked up to see both Diego and Jake at his side, and he felt a surge of gratitude for them both as he swallowed heavily, and forced himself to straighten.

"Diego... bag..." He panted, holding out his hand for his bag. He sagged against Jake, as the pilot stepped closer, his top and jacket still missing, though he'd steped back into his trousers. "Just, need to change..." He said quickly, hoping his smile was reassuring to them both.

"Dude-"

"Please, Diego..." Taylor asked, meeting his friends eyes with a fearful gaze. "I think... we're gonna need to be prepared. And that means, I need my thrillseeker gear."

"'Thrillseeker'?" Jake snorted, as he guided then over to where his shirt and jacket lay in the sand. "What kinda-"

"C'mon guys... We need to hurry." Taylor insisted, rummaging through his bag as Diego reluctantly handed it over. Taylor immediately began rummaging through, shifting the idols aside as he found his cargo trousers, brown shirt and shoulder harness, complete with knife. He stood, and reached behind himself, but Jake's fingers beat him to his zip, much to his amusement. "You know, I  _can_  undo this myself..." He teased, a weak smile curling his lips as nausea swirled through his stomach.

"Yeah, but then  _I'd_  be missin' the show." Jake murmured over his shoulder, as he dragged the zip down slowly. The pilot hummed appreciatively, leaning forward to press a kiss to Taylors shoulder, before Taylor squirmed away and began shoving the wetsuit off himself.

"Much as I really,  _really_  want you to continue doing  _that..._  We don't have time..." Taylor said reluctantly, drawing his shirt over his head as he grabbed his trousers and pulled them on as soon as he tugged his legs free of the wetsuit.

"See now, Boy Scout, how an I supposed to concentrate knowin' ya're commando? That's just teasi-"

"A part of my best friend which I did not need to see!" Diego cried, cutting the pilot off mid-drawl, as he covered his eyes with his hand.

"Heh, sorry Diego... Time is of the essence." Taylor said, hurrying to strap his harness over his shoulders. "Varyyn's gonna need all the help he can get..." Taylor mumbled to himself, glancing up as Diego gasped.

"And why exactly d'we care about, Blues Clues?" Jake grouses, his eyes turning hard as he folded his arms over his chest.

"Because, despite... whatever he did when he first raided The Celestial, he's still been good to Diego while I couldn't be there for him." Taylor replied, struggling to slip his trainers on. "Because he regrets everything that happened, even though the effects of his actions were already reversed, and he wants to repent by helping me learn to control whatever the hell is so screwed up in my head. Because my best friend adores him..." Taylor continued, lost in the countless reasons he could think of to help the Vaanti, as he slipped his gloves over his hands. "But  _mostly,_  because if we don't help him, everyone in Elyys'tel might well perish." He warned, quickly stuffing his wetsuit in the top if his bag and slinging it over his shoulder, as Jake chucked his arms through his jacket sleeves and slipped his dog tags over his neck.

"Well..." Jake sighed, running a hand through his hair quickly. "When you put it like  _that..."_  The pilot muttered, looking at Taylor in such a peculiar fashion that Taylor felt his heart lurch in concern. "Once we're done helpin' the Tree Folks, you and me're gonna talk..." The pilot said, frowning at him as he slipped his hand into Taylors and squeezed reassuringly. Taylor frowned, but nodded his agreement, as the three of them began to race across the sand.

"Uh, any chance you could give us a heads up on what to expect?" Diego panted, as they ran toward Yvonne's outrigger.

"Yeah, but you ain't gonna like it!" Taylor called, as Aleister and Grace emerged from the manor and hurried over to board with everyone else.

Taylor, Diego and Jake were the last to climb aboard, and the pilot immediately helped the pirate guide the craft into the water. Craig leered over the edge, at a cluster of writhing fish.

"Hey, klaawyi!" He taunted, waggling his finger at them like they were naughty children. "You feelin' hungry down there? Too bad!" He sniggered, grinning wildly at the ugly assed fish.

The waves continued to grow bigger, as they moved across the bay. In the distance, Taylor watched the Vaanti village pass by. "Elyys'tel... Despite being a prisoner, they really made me feel at home there..." Diego said, stepping up beside Taylor as he bit his lip. "Taylor, are you sure..?"

"You sound like you miss it." Taylor said, ignoring Diego's question as he looked over at his friend, raising a brow in curiosity.

"Nah." Diego said, before flushing guiltily. "Well, okay, maybe a little..." He admitted, with a wry grin.

"Is it the village itself, or just Varyyn?" Taylor asked, knowing he was pushing his luck, but needing to know.

Diego seemed to sense the importance of his answer, and frowned at Taylor as he considered. "It's... both, I guess."

Taylor nodded his head, accepting the answer with a faint huff.  _Few days ago I would have been pissed over this... My best friend and the guy who-_  he forced the thought to cut itself off, shaking his head as he turned his gaze to the sky, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.. "Here he comes..." He muttered, as the sky began to steadily darken around them, filling quickly with thick storm clouds. He held tight to the rigging, glaring defiantly as raindrops began to rustle against the boats sail. A peal of thunder resounded overhead, as Taylor sneered at the ocean around them.

"Do you feel that, Taylor?" Grace asked hesitantly, glancing around the sky worriedly. "There's a distinct charge in the air..."

Taylor ignored the dark skinned girl, as the storm continued to build, and he finally locked his eyes onto a shadow in the depths. "There!" He cried, pointing towards the area just ahead of the Vaanti village, as Quinn screamed loudly.

"By the devil himself." Yvonne gasped, clutching her hat as it almost blew from her head. "What... is...  _that?"_

"Aw,  _hell..!"_  Jake cursed, as he met Taylors eyes. "I do _not_ like this plan!" He called over the storm, his eyes blazing with irritation as Taylor winked at him.

"Yvonne, meet Cetus!" Taylor called, as Sean and Jake exchanged a glance. "You cpuld say he's an old friend of ours... He's come back for us, but he's a little uh... Shall we say, directionally challenged, since we last met?" He said, as Jake snorted in amusement despite his efforts to retain his irritated expression.

The group watched, as the massive, serpentine form moved swiftly towards the large tree at the other side of the cove. "Oh no...  _Taylor!"_  Diego cried, turning pleading eyes toward his best friend. "He's heading straight for the village!"

Taylor nodded, as he met his friends fearful wide eyes. "I know." He replied, clapping his hand onto Diego's shoulder in reassurance. "But so are we."


	6. You Can't Save Everyone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh! I am actually utterly lost now - I have no idea if any of this makes sense :(  
> I think I lost track somewhere around word 12,352 or so... XD
> 
> Okay, admittedly I'm not that in tune with everything... but, I still lost track at one point. I hope I have gone through and caught everything major when I edited though :)
> 
> I don't know if I've mentioned it recently, so I would just like to say again;
> 
> YOU'RE AWESOME AND I LOVE YOU SO MUCH FOR 1, THE FACT YOU READ. 2, THE FACT YOU ENJOY. 3, THE FACT YOU COMMENT AND LET ME KNOW ALL THIS. 4, THE FACT THAT YOU'RE SO AWESOME
> 
> Okay, my ramblings done; back to the story :p
> 
> x My love to you all x

_**Dear Jake;** _

_If anyone had told me before it happened, that we would rush to the aide of the very people who kidnapped by best friend... and killed the man I love; in countless timelines, no less! Although I guess that's a little harsh of me, given that it was immediately undone... Well, at any rate... I would have said they were barking up the wrong tree for sure!_

_It's funny, I guess... How just talking to people a few times can inspire such deep bonds. I mean, who would have guessed that the grumpy pilot who was so annoyed by my waking him up... Would actually have been the love of my- uh..._

_... Existence._

**6.**

**You Can't Save Everyone**.

Taylor stared at the sea monsters colossal shadow, still passing directly beneath them even as the monster neared the Vaanti village. The rest of the group backed away from the edge of Yvonne's boat, peering distrustfully over the side.

Jake clambered over the outrigger, his hand reaching for Taylor's as he came to a halt by his side. "You  _sure_  'bout this, Boy Scout?" The pilot asked, his voice raised over the high winds and rain. "Ol' Nessie weren't exactly a walk in the park last time we tussled..."

"I know." Taylor said thickly, nodding as he rested his head on Jake's shoulder, drawing strength from his pilot. "But we can't just..."

"Taylor, you're too damn soft hearted." The pilot scoffed, his free hand rising to Taylor's hair, ruffling it affectionately as Taylor huffed a dry laugh. He looked up at his pilot with fond amusement, when he was suddenly struck by a pounding headache. His expression crumpled, as he dropped to one knee, his hand rising to his brow.  _"Taylor!"_

 _"Nnh!"_  Taylor gasped, as his mind was assaulted by a cacophony images and memories combined, the sound of screaming resounding loudly in his ears.

"Taylor!" Quinn cried, forgetting her fear of the sea monster as she fell to her knees beside him. "What's wrong? Is it the same as-"

Taylor lost track of Quinn's words, her voice fading, as she disappeared from his sight entirely. Taylor found himself back in the tree village, watching the Vaanti scramble for safety as the water far below began to stir. "It cannot be-" Uqzhaal choked, his eyes wide as he balanced precariously on his stick.

 ** _"Rrraaaar!"_**  Cetus roared, as his great serpentine head broke through the waters surface and rose to loom ominously over the village. One side of his head was blackened and marred by scarring, a horn broken off from the top of his head, and several of his razor sharp teeth were chipped or broken from his jaw entirely.

" **The Sea Guardian**!" Seraxa cried, scowling as she drew her blade from instinct, crouching defensively as she guided others to a safe distance from the beast. " **Why is he here?!"**

 **"I.**.." Uqzhaal balked, his crimson eyes filling with fear, as lighting sparked among the serpents remaining teeth.

" **Look out!** " A Vaanti male cried, pointing to the electrified beast, already half turned to flee.

 **"Run!"**  Called a green skinned female, as she gathered several children around herself and began to herd them away from the beast.

 _ **"Rrraaak!"**_  Cetus bellowed, the sound reverberating through the air around them, as many Vaanti covered their ears and screamed in fear. A javelin of lightning tore through the city, sending wooden shrapnel flying.

 **"Aaah!"**  Gasped the little boy, who'd waved at them as they were led from the great tree village, as he fell to the ground and stared with wide golden eyes at the sea monster.

" **Uqzhaal! Get to the top**!" Seraxa barked, as she ran and leaped over a divide to help the small boy to his feet. " **You must reach the Elyyshar!"**

" **What will you do?"**  Uqzhaal called, as he hobbled back a few paces, watching the green woman worriedly.

" **Hold out for as long as we can. Evacuate the people**." Seraxa growled, as she sent the small boy off with a rough nudge. She turned and glared back at the old shaman forcefully, pointing her sharp blade at him. " **Now go!** " She demanded, before dashing away to help the other Vaanti who were struggling nearby.

As Uqzhaal obeyed the war chief, and hobbled through the fleeing Vaanti, he closed his eyes and prayed.  _ **Please... Catalyst... if you can hear me.**_.. He pleaded, his thoughts racing through Taylor's mind with the force of a heavy punch to his gut.  _ **If you are truly destined to save our people... please... answer this prayer...**_  He thought, before he abruptly broke off, and Taylor found himself back on the boat with a gasp.

 _"Taylor!_  Taylor,  _look_  at me, Taylor!" Jake said forcefully, as Taylor scrabbled and strained against the pilots arms, disorientation swirling through him as he met the pilots cerulean eyes. "That's it, just look at  _me,_  and  _breathe._  Don't worry about anything else... just  _breathe..."_  He coaxed, as Taylor slowly relaxed in his arms.

 _"Jake..."_  He cried, throwing his arms around the pilots neck and hiccupping a sob against his shoulders, as Jake soothed him as best he could.

"C'mon, Boy Scout... can't fall apart now." He said quietly, as he brushed Taylor's short, damp hair from his face and forced him to meet his eyes. "What ha-"

"Uqzhaal. He..." Taylor hedged, tapping his head discreetly as the others gazed across the bay at the horrifying sight. Jake frowned, his eyes running over Taylor worriedly as he struggled to his feet. "You're right, it's not the time to fall apart. We need to-"

 _"You,_  need to tell me 'bout whatever happened last night." Jake said firmly, scowling at him as Taylor winced guiltily.

"I was  _going_  to!" He protested weakly, offering a hopeful grin as he scratched his ear. "I just... We got so caught up, with everything else and..." He tried, groaning when the pilots expression didn't ease. "Look,  _this_  is not the time." He said, straightening as he pointed towards Elyys'tel. "Yell at me later, but first...  _Help me."_

" _Mon dieu._.." Yvonne breathed, distracting them from their argument. They turned to find the group staring with varying degrees of concern.

"He's like a slasher movie villain!" Diego cried, his eyes wide as he ran his eyes over the Vaanti village desperately. "You guys really blew him to hell, but he's back..!" He said, running his hands through his hair nervously.

"Looks like he wants more." Jake growled, as he laced his hand together with Taylor's, who squeezed in relief of his support.

"I dunno," Sean said, shaking his head as he stared at the beast. "He just looks pissed to me!"

"Why is he attacking the Vaanti?" Diego muttered lowly, the underlying fear beneath his words causing Taylor's heart to clench painfully.

"Don't know. Don't care." Estela said dismissively, her glare hard as she scowled at the village. "Just be glad you're not in that tree right now."

"Seriously, we need to get as far away from that place as possible." Zahra agreed, her own scowl donning her face.

"Okay," Taylor said, as the group turned towards him, though he was busy scanning the shoreline. "Yvonne, drop me over there... I'll catch up with you guys further up the coast." He said, turning back to his friends with a determined expression.

"Think ya meant to say,  _'us'_  there, Boy Scout." Jake murmured quietly, squeezing his hand in emphasis. Taylor grinned at him, raising their linked hands so he could kiss the pilots fingers.

"Right," he chuckled, as Diego stepped over to join them.  _"Us."_  He repeated, relishing the way the pilots gaze softened, despite their circumstances.

"I don't wanna be a third wheel or anything, but..." Diego said, raising a brow as his lips twitched. "You know you guys aren't going without me, right?"

Taylor grinned, clapping his friend on the shoulder as Yvonne's boat sailed in the strong wind towards the small bay Taylor had directed her to. A silence fell over the group, their gazes flickering between Taylor's determined stance, and the Vaanti village. Taylor bit his lip, torn by their indecisive expressions. "... We have to help them, guys. I understand that you guys don't want to, and that's fine. You're allowed to feel how you feel." He said, glancing at Diego as his friend snorted and smiled at him.

"You...  _really_  want to go back?" Grace asked curiously, her fingers tapping together nervously as Aleister held her securely against his side.

"Dude." Craig huffed, his jaw dropping as he stared at Taylor. "Are you  _insane?"_

"Naw, he's just typical Boy Scout." Jake huffed amusedly, ruffling Taylor's hair affectionately as he sniggered at the pilot. "Always lookin' to save the day..!" He said, sighing in defeat as Taylor elbowed him in the ribs.

"Look, even if that  _weren't_  a total death wish," Michelle cried, waving her arm towards where Cetus was raining destruction upon the village. "Did you just happen to forget that those people just imprisoned us for life?"

"And that was only because they couldn't execute us, thanks to your 'arrangement'." Aleister sneered, scowling over at Taylor in disapproval.

"I know." Taylor admitted, smiling lopsidedly as he looked around his friends. "But not all of them hated us. The shaman, Uqzhaal tried to help... Admittedly for selfish reasons but, still. Varyyn spoke for me, when I... Lost. That alone would be enough of a reason for me to go back. But there's also children there."

"Varyyn is a good person." Diego added in the Vaanti's defense, reinforcing Taylor's statement. "He couldn't help what his mother did to us..." He said, shuffling his feet awkwardly.

"She did what she felt was best to protect her people." Taylor said, rubbing his friends shoulder supportively. "Any  _one_  of us would have done the same, to protect each other, I'm sure."

"Guys..." Grace said hesitantly, looking up at Aleister pleadingly. "I think Taylor is right. We can't blame them all."

"I  _hate_  to say this, but yes." Aleister sighed, squeezing his arm around Grace's shoulders as she smiled warmly at him. "Taylor is... identifying a logical fallacy." The pale boy said grudgingly.

"I think that's Malfoy's way of sayin' ya smart." Jake murmured in Taylor's ear, as he sniggered and grinned at the pilot.

"But what can we even  _do_  to help..?" Grace asked suddenly, peering at the hulking Cetus, as he ravaged the village high above.

"I don't know..." Sean said, his face breaking into a grin as he looked over at Taylor. "And, I know it sounds crazy... But, lives are at stake right now. We have to try... No matter what happens; we  _have_  to." He said, his hand balling into a fist as he offered it to Taylor, bumping their hands lightly as Taylor grinned back at him. "You already know I'm with you, Taylor."

"If you're going back, Taylor, well..." Quinn said, drawing in a deep breath as she painted a wide and confident smile onto her face. "Then I'm right behind you!"

"Way,  _way_  behind you..." Zahra muttered grudgingly, folding her arms over her chest as she rolled her eyes. "But... pretty much there with ya."

"The pilot sure is quiet now." Michelle said, eyeing him speculatively as he turned a wide grin towards her.

"Me?" Jake hummed thoughtfully, sniggering quietly as he smirked at the blonde. "This is Taylor's show. I'm just along for the ride." He said fondly, winking down at Taylor as he felt a rush of deep gratitude and affection for his pilot.

"Okay, that...  _that_  was smooth." Taylor admitted with a laugh, gazing up at the pilot with a mischievous grin which had the pilot raising a brow in intrigue. "That's earned you a present later." He murmured quietly, raising their hands and pressing his lips to Jake's fingers, his eyes full of promise as they met the pilots.

 _"Hmm,"_  Jake hummed thoughtfully, smirking as he leaned down, his intent clear in his heated gaze. "Sounds promisin'..." He muttered, as the group looked around and tried to gain courage from each other; leaving the two to their moment. His lips grazed over Taylor's lightly, drawing an impatient growl from him, as he pushed himself up on his toes and sealed their mouths together in a deeper kiss. Jake hummed in approval, his tongue sweeping against Taylor's as his fingers curled around the back of his neck, drawing him closer. Taylor grinned as Diego cleared his throat overly loudly, remaining locked into Jake's kiss for another long moment, before drawing away with faintly pink cheeks.

"So, we're really  _doing_  this?" Raj cried, his eyes wide as he stared around them all.

"Looks like we're  _doing_  it!" Craig cried in reply, his eyes equally wide as he offered his fist to Raj for a fist bump, and Taylor shook his head at the way the gesture seemed to calm them both.

" _Aw, you guys_..." He sniggered cheerfully, grinning around his friends appreciatively.

"You  _must_  be  _joking!"_  Yvonne cried, staring around them all in shock and disdain. "You  _all_  belong in the madhouse!" She declared, steering her boat towards the area of shore that Taylor had indicated. "You may have a death wish, but  _I'm_  not sticking my neck out!"

"You don't have to, Yvonne." Taylor called over to her, winking at his friends conspiratorially. "Just get us close, and we'll do the rest."

The pirate snorted, turning her vessel to the side so they glided gently against the shore, not too far from the tree city. Taylor hopped off the boat, turning to offer his hand to the others and help them off through the rising storm tide. All; except one.

"Estela." Taylor said knowingly, as the brown haired girl avoided making eye contact with him, as she stood close beside Yvonne on the boat.

"I  _can't."_  She whispered, her hands curled into tight balls, at her side. "There's too much at stake for me... I can't risk  _not_  finishing, what I came here to do." She explained brokenly, finally raising her tormented gaze to meet Taylor's understanding one.

"At least one of you has any sense about you." Yvonne scoffed, as she folded her arms over her chest and glared at them all.

"See ya round then, Katniss." Taylor said, saluting as he winked reassuringly at her.

"Your pilot is a bad influence." Estela groused, as Taylor grinned and glanced over at Jake fondly.

"I know." He said happily, as Jake snorted and rolled his eyes, though Taylor could see the pink dusting his cheek through his stubble.

"This isn't..." Estela said, glancing at where the rest of the group was moving towards the village. "This isn't 'goodbye'!" She said urgently, her dark eyes meeting Taylor's fiercely. "It's 'good luck'!"

Taylor chuckled, drawing back as Jake tugged his hand. "If that's what you gotta tell yourself." He called, as he turned to follow Jake after the others. He deliberately slowed down Jake's pace with a small grin, walking almost at a half dawdle, as the pilot frowned back at him.

Yvonne pointed her boat towards the open bay, shaking her head at their sense of heroism. "Let them go, cherie." She advised Estela, as Taylor dawdled at the back of the group, smirking at Jake's increasing irritation for his insistently slow steps. "Do not weep for them. It is the curse of the intelligent to watch the stupid fling themselves to their deaths." She sighed dramatically, shaking her head woefully as she held her hat to her breasts in commiseration. "At least us ladies know how to look out for what  _really_  matters." She added with a grin, as she replaced her hat on her head and cheerfully turned to set her sails.

Estela bit her lip, as the boat began to move away from th shore, before suddenly diving into the water.  _"Taylor!_  Wait up!" She called, as Taylor turned back with a knowing grin.

"Eh?" Yvonne called, looking back with wide eyes as the dark haired girl swam over to Jake and Taylor. "Was it something I said?"

Estela swam to the shore, amd ran through the tide to catch up with everyone. "Estela?" Zahra called, as she looked back from where the rest of the group has paused to wait for them.

"I'm coming with you." She panted, as Taylor turned towards her, and Jake rolled his eyes at the smugness radiating from him.

"Never doubted it." Taylor said, sniggering at Jake's huff of exasperated amusement.

"But  _why?"_  Asked Michelle, staring at the dark haired girl with surprise as they regrouped.

Estela glanced back at Yvonne, before turning back with a deep sigh. "Looking out for what  _really_  matters." She said, raising her eyes to meet Taylor's amused grin.

" _Aw, you guys_..." He repeated, smirking at the stains of red which blossomed on Estela's cheeks, as she averted her eyes. To spare her further embarrassment he turned towards Yvonne's boat, as she sailed away and faded into the storm, waving goodbye as she called back to them.

"I wish you all  _bonne_  chance..!" She yelled, spreading her arms wide towards them. "But, you can't save everyone." She added, waving as she gripped her rigging tightly in one hand.

"Guess we'll die trying then." Sean said, waving goodbye with the rest of the group as the pirate shook her head.

"Ah,  _mes petits martyrs_..." She sighed fondly, grinning broadly as she squinted one eye at them. " _Au revoir_!" She called finally, as her boat vanished into the approaching fog. As everyone began to run up the beach, Jake tugged at Taylor's hand, pulling him back.

"I thought you were annoyed with my snails pace..." Taylor teased, turning back to him. "What's -" He was silenced by a hard kiss, the pilot pulling him close as the tide washed around their ankles. Taylor responded instantly, craning his neck to press himself against Jake fervently, his tongue colliding with the pilots as they stood entwined amidst the barrage of wind and rain.  _"Mmm..."_  Taylor hummed, as they finally separated an inch for breath. "What was  _that_  for..?" He asked, grinning broadly as the pilot gazed down at him, his fingers caressing his cheek.

"What?" Jake huffed, seeming to snap out of his gentle mood, his fingers falling from Taylor's face as he flushed pink. Taylor bit his lip, fighting his smile as Jake cleared his throat. "It's a good luck kiss."

Taylor laughed, playing with the pilots dog tags as he peeked up at him from beneath his lashes. "You think your kisses are lucky?" He snorted, his eyes dancing with mirth.

"Why don't  _you_  tell  _me?"_  The pilot asked lowly, grinning broadly as Taylor giggled and hummed, pretending to think about it as he leaned close to the pilot.

"I'd need more samples to make an accurate analysis..." He murmured, and Jake's grin grew as he also leaned in. "So... you'll have to catch me after!" Taylor sniggered, nudging the pilots shoulder as he sprinted to catch up with the others.

"Hey!" Jake called after him, and Taylor laughed at the sound of his pursuit behind him. They raced towards the base of the enormous tree city, growing serious as the shouts of battle and pain rained down on them from above.

"Come on!" Sean called, waving at them from the beside a staircase. "Up these stairs!" He said, pointing to the level above. Taylor and Jake jogged up the grand, wood-carved staircase that climbed the tree's massive roots. As soon as they reached the top, they saw the war chief Seraxa, marshalling troops.

"To the elevators!" She ordered, shoving some of her warriors in the direction she gestured. "Move it!" She barked, glaring at the various Vaanti warriors as they scuttled to obey her. Then, she spotted them at the head of the staircase; and Taylor swallowed thickly, raising his hands in placation at the fury in her eyes.

"The Catalysts?!  _Here?"_  A male Vaanti cried, his golden eyes fearful through the eyepieces of his tiger like mask.

"Impossible!" Shrieked a female, the twisted horns of her mask glinting maliciously in the flickering light, as the soldiers spread out to flank Taylor and his friends with their weapons drawn.

"See," Zahra sighed, scowling at Taylor as he threw her a guilty grin.  _"This_  is why we should've kept going." She said, as the guards shook their weapons threateningly.

"Just take it easy!" Jake growled, raising his own hands, though he scowled at the Vaanti around them. "We're here to help!"

"How did you escape Sharktooth Isle?" Seraxa demanded, pointing her blade at Taylor, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"We called an Uber." Michelle snapped, her hands on her hips as she glared at the green skinned woman. "Who cares?"

"It's  _their_  fault!" A Vaanti male in an elephant mask cried, pointing at them accusingly. "They summoned the Guardian Cetus to destroy Elyys'tel!"

"Yes, then we came to be destroyed ourselves." Taylor snarked, as Seraxa frowned at the man who'd spoken. "Look, we escaped... And, we could have just hightailed it outta here, no sweat. But we  _didn't._  We came to  _help,_  Seraxa." He said, as the war chief eyed him doubtfully.

"And now they've come to finish us off!" A female Vaanti cried, as Taylor hung his head and snorted, realising the other Vaanti had utterly ignored him.

"No, that's-" Quinn began, only to be cut off by another female, who drew her blade menacingly.

"We should have killed them when we had the chance!" She cried, preparing to lurch forward, when Seraxa's heavily armoured arm held her back.

"You will not attack, unless ordered to." She said calmly, though her posture remained rigid. She glared at Taylor, and he could almost see the thoughts in her before she even spoke them. "I spared your life once, Catalyst. Do not be so confident I'll do so again." She warned, her obsidian dagger gleaming in the flickering light. "If you have brought ruin to my people, then I may still bring ruin to yours."

"Bring it on." Estela growled, cracking her knuckles as she gripped her spear tightly, as she glared at Seraxa with obvious intent.

Taylor turned to her in exasperation.  _"Not_  helping!" He snarked, as Varyyn rushed over to find what had caused such a commotion, only to stop short when he saw what was happening.

"Diego..?!" He gasped, his eyes wide as they ran over the olive skinned boy worriedly. He stepped towards him, half reaching for him in surprise and concern.

"Uh, hey, Varyyn." Diego said, beaming a wide grin at the Vaanti prince. "Long time, no see?" He chuckled, scratching the back of his neck as he bit his lip, his eyes running over Varyyn quickly.

At Seraxa's signal, the Vaanti warriors began to close in, their bows drawn and their spears aimed. Taylor heard a noise from above, and glanced up to see a Vaanti archer slump forward suddenly, hanging motionless over a tree branch. Lila, having just knocked him out, took his bow, and aimed it directly at Seraxa's head; a hard steel in her eyes. "Back off, lady!" She called calmly, and Seraxa sneered, as she raised a fist to stop her warriors progress.

"I was afraid you were going to make this too easy." She grinned, her blade glinting as she turned from Lila to Taylor. "Are we to duel again? There would be no promises made if this is how you now negotiate for the lives of your loved ones."

"Lila, no! You're making this  _worse!"_  Grace cried, peering up at the tour guide in distress.

"Sorry, Grace." Lila called down calmly, her eyes never leaving Seraxa. "But I can't let anything bad happen to my group."

"Hmm, wouldn't want Rourke to be disappointed now, would we?" Taylor called, as gasps rang out around him. "I mean, given that he's got such a keen interest in his customers survival and all." Lila glanced down at him, as a pair of guards closed in to protect Seraxa, though she waved them off.

"It is no matter." Seraxa sneered, sniffing in disdain as she glared at Taylor. "Puny girl doesn't know how to use-" Her words were cut shirt, when a perfectly placed arrow whizzed past her head. One of her braids fell to the ground, cleanly sliced off.

"Keep talking if you want me to finish your haircut!" Lila called, another arrow already docked and ready to fly.

Jake tugged at Taylor's hand gently, as he leaned close, his lips brushing against the shell of his ear lightly. "If Lila kills the Un-Jolly Green Giant," he murmured, his voice low so the others wouldn't hear. "It'll just prove what they already about about us! It'll undo  _everything_  you did before." He muttered, glaring up at the tour guide darkly.

Taylor nodded minutely in response, before turning towards Lila with a firm but kind expression. "Lila, stand down." He said calmly, and the tour guide finally looked away from the Vaanti to stare at him in shock.

"But..." She cried, frowning as she glanced between him and the Vaanti ahead of them. "Well, if you say so..." She sighed, tossing the bow away and hopping down from the branch to rejoin the group.

"Show off..." Jake murmured, squeezing his hand lightly, as Taylor turned towards him, wrinkling his nose in smug amusement.

"Hrm..." Seraxa hummed, eyeing Taylor thoughtfully. "This is the second time you've had opportunity to take my life, yet once again you have not... Why? I certainly would not have hesitated, had I been the one with such an advantage."

"We  _told_  you." Taylor said firmly, standing as tall as he could and lowering his hands, striking a defiant pose as he met her eyes calmly. "We're here to  _help."_

"The Catalysts of legend were famously cunning." Seraxa declared fiercely, her eyes narrowing at him distrustfully. "How can we trust this isn't a trap?"

"What exactly do  _we_  stand to gain from helping  _you?!"_  Taylor demanded, scowling in frustration at the green woman. "We could have sailed right past and been  _safe_  across the bay by now, but we chose to risk this very situation in order to help save your peoples lives!" He yelled, as Jake squeezed his hand gently. He looked over at the pilot, who winked briefly, offering him a cocky but reassuring smile. He sighed and dragged a hand through his hair, his frustration fading under the pilots support. "Right now, it's all you  _can_  do.  _Trust."_

Seraxa glared at him, her distrust too strong for her to see past, until a small blue form bounced over to them excitedly. "Hi, Cat-a-liss!" Called the Vaanti boy who Taylor had waved to after the Tribunal, as he skipped into the circle of spears fearlessly and waved at him once more.

"Taari!" Seraxa cried, signalling for the Vaanti warriors to back away slightly. "What are you  _doing?_  Get out of here!" She demanded hurriedly, her eyes wide with concern.

"Why?" Taari asked innocently, his face falling as he glanced between Seraxa and Taylor in confusion. "I wanted to say hi to the Cat-a-lissus!" He pouted, before brightening into a broad grin, as he rummaged in his pockets. "And, I brought my slingshot to fight Cetus!" He cried cheerfully, holding up a rudimentary slingshot, made from a Y-shaped branch and showing it to Taylor proudly. "Do you like it?" He asked eagerly.

"Uh..." Taylor balked hesitantly, glancing at Jake, who shrugged unhelpfully.

"Yeah kid... it's great..." He offered weakly, and Taylor nudged him as he rolled his eyes, before beaming down at Taari with a wide grin.

 _"That,_  is the  _best_  damn slingshot I've ever seen, personally... But, I happen to know that Cetus has an immunity to slingshots..." He said, crouching down so he could whisper conspiratorially to the child. "Do you know what his weakness is though..?" He asked, leaning close as Taari shook his head, his eyes wide with awe.

"No, what?!" He demanded, his small hands clutching his slingshot tightly.

"It's a special kind of package, called 'Semtex'." Taylor said slowly, shoving Jake's leg hard when a sharp bark of laughter escaped the pilot. His eyes never left the child, as he pointed up at the already injured beast, further down the coast. "See his scars?" He asked, as the child turned and nodded, upon seeing the sea serpents damaged horn and teeth. "That was what we did to Cetus last time he messed with us... That's why we came to help. To drive him off again!" He said, grinning as Taari beamed up at him excitedly.

"You're  _really_  gonna drive him away?!" He squeaked, his wide eyes darting around everyone, as Taylor pushed to his feet. "Can I help?" He gushed, only for Seraxa to growl loudly.

"You must  _go,_  Taari!" The war chief scoffed, though her expression was sad as she beheld the child.

"Why?" Taari asked, genuinely curious. Taylor felt his heart melt at the boy's innocence, and he glanced at Jake as he bit his lip, wondering how the child affected the pilot.

"It's too  _dangerous!"_  Seraxa protested, her concern evident as she sheathed her blade and walked over to him, gently setting her hand on his shoulder.

"That's okay!" Taari said, beaming a wide grin towards Taylor. "The Cat-a-lissus are here to save us!" He said cheerfully. His brows furrowed, as he looked around at the spears and bows aimed at Taylor and his friends. "Are you guys playing a game? Come on, the bad guy is this way!" He said, scowling around them all, before charging out of the circle with his slingshot raised.

Taylor looked up at Seraxa, who met his gaze reluctantly, before sighing and finally signalling for her warriors to lower their weapons. "... I am the war chief here." She said crisply, her stance rigid as she sneered at them all. "You do as I say, when I say it." She demanded, her expression darkening as her lip curled into a snarl. "One false move, and I feed you to Cetus myself... Are we clear?"

"Crystal." Jake balked, his eyes wide as he raised his palms towards her.

Seraxa turned towards him, frowning in consternation. "What do crystals have to do with this..?"

"It's... it's a figure of speech..." Jake muttered pitifully, and Taylor bit his lip to keep from laughing at the pilots crestfallen expression."We'll work on those..." The pilot said, narrowing his eyes at Taylor as a snicker escaped him.

 _"Bah."_  The war chief scoffed, gesturing for them to follow her. "Come, our defenses are this way. Time to see how the rest of you handle yourselves on the field of battle, Catalysts!" She growled, her lips curving into a devious grin. "The beautiful thing about battle, is that it always reveals ones  _true_  colours..." She said lowly, as she and her Vaanti troops, lead them up a winding staircase around the base of the tree. Upon the higher level, Vaanti warriors man es catapult's, launching flaming rocks at Cetus; though the beast was preoccupied with attacking the treetop, and barely noticed their attempts at attacking.

 _ **"Rrraaaarrr!"**_  Cetus roared, shaking the very tree on which they stood, to the point that Taylor wobbled precariously for a moment. He stared up in open mouthed shock, as the creature chomped down on a massive branch and snapped it off, sending Vaanti archers falling into the frothing sea.

"Seraxa!" Taylor called, hurrying to catch up with the green skinned woman. "Where are we  _going?!"_

"The Sea Guardian os attacking the very peak of the city." Seraxa said by way of reply, leaving Taylor to assume they were heading to the peak themselves.

"My mother is up there..." Varyyn called worriedly, as he kept pace beside Diego. "I will not allow her to die while others run for their lives."

"Why is Cetus  _doing_  this?" Quinn cried, her hands raised to her mouth as she watched more Vaanti fall to the crashing waves below them.

"There's a lot of reasons..." Taylor said quietly before he even thought about it, frowning as he rubbed his head. "Because he's been dragged from his home and can't get back. Because he's angry, and scared; and has been for a  _long_  time... But mostly... Because he's gone  _mad."_  He muttered, blinking rapidly as he realised what he'd said.

"Dude..." Diego murmured, resting his hand on Taylor's arm as he frowned up at him in concern.  _"How..?_  Are you okay?" He asked, as Jake pointed to him urgently.

"What  _he_  said." He muttered, glancing around to make sure nobody else had heard him. "Boy Scout, was that another-"

"No, no! It wasn't a vision... I..." Taylor said quickly, swallowing heavily as he tried to find the words. "I don't know... I just-" he looked up, glancing between the two worried faces as he shrugged helplessly. "I don't know." He said, biting his lip as the pilot sighed, and Diego frowned.

"Well, that's just  _peachy..."_  Jake huffed, as he squeezed Taylor's hand. "At least it didn't seem to knock you senseless this time... Let's just, focus on one thing at a time, huh?" He suggested,his eyes locking with Taylor's briefly, as he and Diego both nodded in agreement.

"Cetus sinks any vessel which wanders far from the island shores... but he has never attacked Elyys'tel itself." Varyyn explained, drawing their attention back to the rest of the group.

"First time for everything." Estela said, cracking her neck as she gripped her spear and glared at the beast.

Taylor looked up at Cetus's hulking form, and felt a fierce determination rise in his gut. "It's clear what we have to do here." He sais firmly, turning his gaze towards Jake, who groaned knowingly at the determined look in his eyes. "We need to kill this thing,  _once_  and for  _all!"_  He said, a tiny grin tugging at his lips as Jake shook his head in resignation.

"Hell yeah!" Craig growled, jerking his jersey tighter around his shoulders, as he bumped fists with those around him.

"But how?" Quinn cried, her cheeks puffing in a pout as she gestured towards the beast. "He's so enormous, it's impossible!" She looked around with a tired glare, her eyes clouded by fear. "I think we need to fins out why he's here! Maybe, we can calm him down!"

"I don't  _want_  to calm him!" Taylor roared, and Quinn jumped, her eyes wide in surprise at the vehemence in his tone. "I want to  _end_  him! And I want to make sure  _this,"_  he said, gesturing to the destroyed village and various motionless Vaanti half hidden by debris.  _"Never_  happens again." He spat, his blood pounding in his ears as Jake's thumb stroked calmingly across the back of his hand.

"Near the top of the tree, we have some tools that may be some help..." Seraxa said, her expression thoughtful as she eyed Taylor speculatively. "We go up."

"The elevator's on the other side of the city!" Taari said, grinning broadly at Taylor. "Come on!" He giggled, gesturing for the group to follow him.

"Taari!" Seraxa scolded, scowling at the child in fury and concern combined. "Go to the hills with the other children! That is an  _order!"_  She barked, glaring at the stubborn child as he rounded on her.

"No!" He growled, his tiny hands balled into fists as he glared back at her. "I want to  _fight!"_  He insisted, scampering ahead with his slingshot.

"He's going to get himself hurt..." Sean muttered, shifting uncomfortably at the thought.

"His parents were fishermen." Seraxa explained slowly, clearly hesitant to share the information with them. "One day, a storm blew them too far out to sea..."

"Cetus killed them..." Taylor guessed knowingly, his eyes following the small boy as he darted down the pathway, as Seraxa nodded somberly.

"That's so  _sad..._  He has no family..." Quinn murmured, her eyes welling with tears as she gazed after the fiery boy.

"No." Seraxa growled, glaring at the redhead in contempt. "We are all family here. I look-" Taylor didn't hear the rest of her words, as he glanced at Jake with a small grin, before nudging him aside lightly and running after Taari, laughing when the pilot growled after him.

"Taylor! Goddammit, you  _little-!"_  The pilot called after him, his tone both amused and annoyed, as Taylor laughed and chased after Taari. He heard the others following behind the pilot, and sniggered as he finally began to catch up to the small boy. He glanced up, his smile fading as his heart lurched, and he skidded to a halt, turning to wave back at Jake forcefully.

" _Look out_!" He cried desperately, as high above them, Cetus tore off another gigantic branch. The beast roared, and Taylor would have thought it to be laughing at them, if he weren't so terrified for his pilot and friends. As the branch plummeted down, heading straight towards him, he felt his heart sting with fear; and time seemed to slow around him, as he dashed towards the approaching pilot. The catapult operators fled, as Taylor raced towards Jake, colliding with him and driving him back from the branches path as time snapped back into place.

"Holy  _sh-"_  Jake began to curse, as he looked over to see the fallen branch, before looking up to see another aiming for them. "No time to stop!" He cried, rolling them aside and springing him to his feet, quickly pulling up Taylor beside him.

 _"Run!"_  Estela cried, as she raced past them and launched herself over the first branch. The rest of the group dove past quickly, as Jake and Taylor hurried after them. Craig picked up Zahra into his arms, and sprinted to safety, as the second branch smashed into the walkway they'd just been on.

 _"Whew!"_  Zahra whistled, eyeing the damaged area with wide eyes, her arms looped tightly around Craig's neck. "That was close!" She looked up at the jock, and tensed suddenly, as she seemed to realize she was cradled in his arms.

"I..." Craig said, his eyes wide with surprise and concern as he stared down at her.

"You..." She breathed, her eyes locking with his in wonder, before her gaze hardened and she scowled at him. " _Put. Me. Down_." She demanded fiercely.

"Yeah, that's my bad..." Craig admitted, wincing at the furious expression on her face, as he gently set her on her feet. "It's okay. Nobody saw us."

Taylor turned away, his hands running over Jake's torso as if checking for injury. Jake covered them gently with his own, ducking his head to capture Taylor's lips in a brief but blatantly relieved kiss.

"Um..." Michelle said hesitantly, pointing towards the sea monster above them. "Pretty sure  _he_  saw us!" She cried, as Cetus gazed down at them from twenty stories up, fangs glistening.

 ** _"Hsssss..."_**  The beast hissed, and Taylor giggled, as he stepped away from Jake slightly and peered up at the beast.

"What was that?" He called, cupping a hand to his ear sarcastically as he grinned uo at the beast. "I can't hear! You... You got this  _lisp,_  see..!" He laughed, as Jake groaned and tugged him back to his side.

"Note to Boy Scout, do not piss off the Great Sea Slug any more than he already is..." The pilot muttered, though his lips twitched in amusement.

"Hmm..." Taylor hummed thoughtfully, staring at the pilot as he bit his lip. "I ever tell you how amazingly hot you looked firing that flare?" He asked suddenly, causing the pilots eyes to widen in surprise.

"No..." Jake drawled, quickly recovering his wits as he broke out in a smug grin.

"Remind me to do so later..." Taylor said, pressing a quick kiss to their laced fingers, as he winked at the pilot.

"Quickly!" Seraxa called, waving her arms to gesture them to follow her. "Man the catapults!" She cried, as she raced over to the abandoned defenses. Craig, Zahra and Michelle ran to one catapult; while Aleister and Grace ran to another, and Taylor quickly raced over to join them.

As Varyyn and Seraxa loaded another launcher between them, they shouted directions to them over the storm. "You must crank the wheel, before you can load the shot!" Varyyn yelled, as he demonstrated the correct motions for them.

"Ignite it with the torch!" Seraxa ordered, following on from Varyyn's directions seamlessly. "Then, pull the lever to fire!" She roared, as she led by example, and fired a shot at the great sea serpent.

"Very well, we can remember that simply enough... right?" Aleister said, swallowing heavily as his wide eyes glanced at Taylor and Grace uncertainly.

Cetus coiled up, his enormous head looming close, as Taylor scowled and pointed at the beast. "You and I, are gonna have a  _serious_  fallout sometime soon..." He muttered darkly, before turning to his task.

He followed the orders flawlessly; quickly cranking the wheel, so that Aleister could load the shot. Grace lit the torch, and Taylor grimaced as he gripped the lever. "And,  _pull!"_  He growled, as he yanked the lever. The catapult arm sprang forward, sending its fiery ammunition arcing into the sky.

 _"Woo!"_  Quinn cried, skipping over to throw her arms around Taylor's neck and press a kiss to his cheek, which immediately made Taylor feel itchy and uncomfortable. "Way to go, Mr Born Lever Puller!" She cheered, laughing as he groaned as he gently pushed her away, discreetly wiping his cheek as he did so.

"I thought we agreed, we were  _never_  gonna mention that!" He said accusingly, frowning at the redhead, as she merely giggled and turned away. Taylor glanced at Jake, who raised a brow at him in obvious intrigue, a crooked grin curling his lips upward as he winked smugly.

 ** _"Rraaaagh!"_**  Cetus roared, distracting them all as the fiery load struck him in the dead centre of his forehead.

"We got him!" Grace cheered, clapping her hands together excitedly, as she skipped over to Aleister's side.

"B-five..." Aleister said, smirking at the beasts distress, as he curled his arm around Grace's shoulders. "It's a hit!"

 _"Nice!"_  Zahra called, raising her hand in a gesture which seemed to belong more at a rock concert than a life or death battle, though Taylor figured everyone was different in their habits. "Our turn!" She said to her team, pointing towards Cetus. "Let's show 'em how it's done!" She roared, as they sprang into action themselves.

"Wheel... shot... torch...  _lever!"_  Michelle muttered as they worked, each task completed efficiently and correctly under her strict supervision. Their catapult discharged its fiery load, slamming directly into Cetus's face.

 ** _"Gggrrrggghh!"_**  The sea serpent growled, it's frustration evident, as Craig pulled Michelle and Zahra into a celebratory group hug.

" _Chyeah, boiii_!" He cheered, as Michelle and Zahra excitedly high fived, before looking at each other awkwardly. As Cetus was shaking off the catapult attack, Craig spread his arms to the beast tauntingly. "Ha, you want some more? Come at me, bro!" He bellowed, grinning broadly, until Cetus's jaw flared with sparks of electricity. "Bro, he's coming at me!" He cried, shoving the girls out of the way of fire.

"Take cover!" Taylor yelled, shoving Jake behind the catapult defenses and pressing himself against him in the tight space. Electricity arced between Cetus's teeth, slowly intensifying, until lightning shot forth forth from his maw; exploding the other groups catapult into a hail of splinters.

 _"Whooaaa!"_  Raj said, as he ran out from his cover and saw the devastation which had been the second catapult.

"This dude is  _way_  too O.P!" Zahra cried, surreptitiously checking Craig over to see if he'd been hurt.

"There are more catapults!" Seraxa called dismissively. "We must keep them firing ti give us time to reach the treetop!"

"We're on it!" Grace called, her face a mask of fierce determination as she glared at Taylor and gestured for him to follow the green skinned woman. "You guys keep going!"

"Yeah, we'll cover your ass!" Craig called, grinning broadly despite Cetus's attempt to destroy him.

"Craig, if I remember sophomore year, you  _literally_  can't even cover your own ass." Michelle groaned, raising her hand to her brow, as if pained by the memory.

"Hey." Craig growled, turning to frown at her. "That was a dare." He said stubbornly, as Taylor forcefully blocked himself from mentally picturing the display.

"Hurry!" Varyyn cried, providing a welcome distraction. "The elevator is this way!" He said, leading the rest of then to one of the great elevators of Elyys'tel, with Seraxa bringing up the rear behind them. Massive wooden platforms ascend the height of the great tree, suspended from gigantic iron chains.

"Everyone, get on." Seraxa ordered, stepping aside to let them file on ahead of her. "This will bring us near the top." As the elevator rose, Taylor watched the battle rage around them, his heart climbing to lodge in his throat as vaanti fought bravely wherever he looked.

"This elevator is incredible!" Lila gasped, her eyes wide in awe as she stared around them, trying to drink in every detail.

"How can it lift so much?" Estela asked thoughtfully, leaning to peer over the edge. "What do you use as counterweights?"

Varyyn pointed up to the enormous ship anchors, descending on the other end of the chain. "Many ancient ships met their demise in the jaws of Cetus." The Vaanti prince explained, his eyes darting towards Diego in regular intervals, much to Taylor's amusement. "My people built some of their earliest works from their bones." He said, as the elevator rocked faintly, upon reaching it's peak. They all disembarked, finding themselves at the height of Cetus's head, watching from only a short distance as the titanic beast tore at the branches of the tree.

 _ **"Shhnk!"**_  Cetus hissed, snapping at branches with his damaged jaw.  _ **"Shhnk!"**_

"Come." Varyyn said lowly, gesturing urgently for them to follow him. "We will circle around the inland side to avoid..." He trailed off, his eyes growing wide as he caught sight of something behind them all.  _"Taari!"_

At Varyyn's cry, both Seraxa and Taylor whipped around to see Taari running toward Cetus.  _"No!"_  Seraxa cried, her tone heavy with pain and desperation.

"What is he  _doing?!"_  Taylor gasped, as the child ran fearlessly towards the great sea serpent.

"Hey,  _ugly!"_  Taari called, glaring fiercely at the monster, as he pulled back his slingshot and launched a pebble at the creature. It plinked off his head, as harmless as a fly. " _Go away_! Leave my friends alone!" Taari demanded, his eyes welling with angry tears as he scowled at the beast and threw pebbles at him. Cetus's head slowly turned toward face the boy, dwarfing him almost to comic proportions. Rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth gleamed in the flashing lightning, as Seraxa cried out for the boy once more.

 _"Taari, no_!" Before Taylor knew what he was doing, he was in motion, his heart crashing painfully at the thought of the innocent boy being harmed. He scooped Taari into his arms protectively, tackling him out of the way just as Cetus's teeth took a huge bite out of the wooden walkway where the boy had been standing. As Cetus growled and chomped on the mouthful of wood, Taylor stretched himself over the boy, shielding him with his body from the debris which fell from Cetus's great maw. As soon as there came a gap large enough, Taylor quickly picked Taari up, and carried him out of Cetus's reach.

"Did you see  _that,_  Seraxa?" Taari babbled excitedly, a huge grin on his face as Taylor set him back on his feet. "The Cat-a-liss  _saved_  me!" He cried, beaming at Taylor with obvious pride.

Taylor was immediately swept tightly into the pilots arms, and he huffed in amusement as Jake scowled at him.  _"You..._  Don't be doin' that again." The pilot demanded, narrowing his eyes as Taylor merely winked at him.

"Can you be my hero?" Taari asked breathlessly, his eyes crinkling as he bounced excitedly on the balls of his feet. "I wanna be  _just_  like you!" He gushed, as Seraxa knelt down and grabbed his shoulders.

"Stupid,  _stupid_  child!" She cried, her eyes wet with tears of pain, fear, frustration and relief all combined.

"I'm..." Taari said, his smile faltering under her obvious distress. He sniffed sadly, tears welling in his eyes as he peeked up at her nervously. "I'm sorry, Seraxa..." He said, as she pulled him into a tight hug, looking up at Taylor in awe.

"You..." She breathed, her relief palpable as she ran her eyes over him. "You  _saved_  him."

"You sound surprised." Taylor snorted, his nose wrinkling, she blinked at his obvious amusement.

"That is because I  _am..."_  She confessed, shaking her head in disbelief. "But...  _Thank you_. If we survive this battle together, I will repay you."

"I didn't do it to be  _repaid,_  Seraxa." Taylor said, frowning at the green woman as she got to her feet. "I did it because he's an innocent kid who doesn't deserve such a fate... If I can save  _anyone_  from that, I won't hesitate... Even  _you."_  He sniggered, as she blinked in surprise. She opened her mouth to respond, when Cetus drew their attention, redoubling his attack on the treetop.

"The Guardian is trying to get to the throne room!" Varyyn said, his face falling as the realization struck him.

"The Elyyshar." Seraxa guessed, her hand coming to rest in Varyyn's shoulder in support. "She is inside, yes?"

"I hope..." Varyyn said, sighing as he toyed with his braided hair. He glanced at Taylor, fear heavy in his gaze, as he swallowed thickly. "I am afraid though..." He admitted, as Diego stepped up beside him and rested his own hand over Varyyn's. "I have never seen Cetus act this way, with such purpose."

"We can't know what he's after, if we can't get into the throne room..." Sean said, gesturing to where the monster blocked the entrance. "And right now, there's about ten thousand huge teeth in the way..."

"Well, more like seven..." Taylor hummed with a wink. "We blew out one side, remember?" He sniggered, as Jake rolled his eyes at his teasing. "But, if you want to be all  _serious..."_  He sighed, sobering as he eyed Cetus speculatively. "Then, we have to distract him."

"Oh..." Jake sighed, running a hand through his hair as he looked over at Taylor suspiciously. "I do  _not_  like when you get that look on your face, Boy Scout..."

"You don't like my face..?" Taylor asked, pouting sadly, though his eyes danced with laughter.

Jake rolled his eyes, muttering to himself as he drew Taylor against his side, clutching his hand almost desperately. "Come." Varyyn said, his expression thoughtful as he gestured for them to follow him. "I have something in mind." Je said, leading them to the inland side of Elyys'tel, where several small aircraft await.

"Hang gliders?" Lila gasped, eyeing the contraptions distrustfully.

"They were built for the Three Tribes War." Varyyn explained. "Warriors would fly over Quarr'tel under cover of night and drop... er..."

"Bombs..?" Diego supplied, wrapping his arms around himself consolingly, his gaze haunted as he looked up at Varyyn.

"Yes." The Vaanti prince said, nodding emphatically. "That is the word. Bombs of fire."

"Incendiary bombs..." Jake hummed, scratching his jaw thoughtfully. "Those oughta do some damage..." He agreed, running his hand along one of the gliders, a sleek craft of wooden struts and canvas wings. "Not bad." He hummed, his expression clearly impressed as he looked the glider over. "Looks like it fits a two man crew. One pilot, one bomber." He hesitated, frowning as his hand curled into a fist. "My old squad leader, Commander Lundgren... he'd have us in pairs too." He said quietly, as if without meaning to say the thought aloud. Taylor grabbed his hand quickly, and raised it to his lips, his eyes meeting Jake's as the pilot turns to him in surprise. "You-" He began, his eyes wide as he stared at Taylor's sympathetic expression.

"These gliders." Varyyn said slowly, speaking over Jake and cutting off whatever he'd been about to say. The pilot frowned, as he turned towards the Vaanti prince, his attention stolen back to the matter at hand. "They are difficult to fly. Very responsive. Takes a warrior years of training-"

"Don't worry about it, Blue's Clues." Jake scoffed, grinning smugly as he gave the Vaanti a cocky wink. "I just need a copilot." He added, turning his grin to Taylor.

"Oh... you didn't think you were going without  _me,_  did you?" Taylor asked innocently, stepping up to the pilot and grabbing his jacket lapels to pull him closer.

"I'll take one too." Sean said, beaming around the group confidently, distracting Taylor and Jake from their moment.

"Yeah!" Raj cheered, high fiving the athlete eagerly. "Let's do this!"

"Okay,  _they_  might need a little help." Jake said, pointing over at where Sean and Raj were trying to figure out how to harness themselves into the glider.

Taylor giggled, looking up at the pilot, as he shook his head at the pair. He stretched himself up to kiss the pilots cheek, darting away before he could catch him a d draw him back. "Your fault for looking elsewhere." He teased, waving his finger at him, as he stepped over to a glider. He sniggered, as Jake muttered to himself, and within minutes he was hooked into a gliders lower harness, with Jake locked in just above him.

"You ready for this?" Jake asked, an excited grin on his fave at the thought of being back in the air. Taylor took a moment to absorb the pilots expression, before he nodded.

"With you?" He asked, grinning broadly at his pilot.  _"Always."_  He said confidently, sniggering when the pilot chuckled in response.

"Yeah, it was a dumb question." Jake admitted, reaching down to grasp Taylor's hand tightly as the other pairs got into their own gliders. Their eyes locked, sharing each others confidence and strength, as Raj and Sean paired up; as well as Varyyn and Diego.

"This is so  _sweet."_  Raj cried, his excitement evident in his huge grin. "So, how do we get airborne?" He asked eagerly.

"You walk to the edge..." Varyyn explained, as he checked over Diego's harness. "And step off."

"Anybody else suddenly developing a fear of heights?" Diego asked, his voice rising in pitch as he panicked.

Taylor peered over the edge of the platform, vertigo striking him like q kick to the gut as he stared down at the long drop. "Hey, Jake..." He called, looking up to meet the pilots questioning gaze. "At least it isn't a solo suicide mission this time..." He said, grinning as the pilot snorted with laughter. "This is definitely gonna be interesting, at least!"

"One..." Jake said, gently rocking their glider as Taylor took a deep breath. "Two..." He murmured, as he rocked slightly harder, as Taylor exhaled and tensed for the inevitable.  _"Three!"_  He said, as the two of them tipped over the edge. Taylor gasped as the glider plummeted, nose straight down.

 _"Whoa!"_  He whispered, staring at the rapidly approaching ground with an odd sense of excitement in his stomach.  _"Wooohooo!"_  He cried, laughing as the wind rushed through his hair.

"Come on, baby!" Jake growled, as the ground rushed up to meet them. Finally, the canvas wings caught the air, and sent them hurtling back up into the sky.  _"Wooooooo-hoo!"_  Jake cried, his joy palpable even over Taylor's own. "Isn't this awes-" He began, only to rapidly change his mind. "Oh, crap." He sighed, as Cetus took notice of their flight.

 ** _"Rrraaaak!"_**  The beast screeched, as lightning shot straight at them. Jake twisted them in the air, barrel rolling them around the bolt skillfully.

 _"Whoa!"_  Taylor gasped, as the lightning sizzled past them, scowling at the sea serpent in irritation. " _Hey, we're trying to have a moment here!"_  He yelled at the beast, grinning when he heard Jake guve a sharp bark laughter above him. "I don't think he likes us very much, Top Gun...maybe we can fly again after we kick his ass...  _again..."_

"I'm gonna hold you to that promise, Boy Scout!" Jake called down, and Taylor could hear the smile in his voice. He was about to reply, when Varyyn's glider swooped nearby, with Diego beneath him.

"Very good! I am impressed!" The Vaanti prince called, obviously impressed as he eyed Jake's movements approvingly. "Maybe one day, if you work very hard for many years, you will be as good as me!" He said, smiling widely at them.

"Oh yeah?" Jake said cockily, grinning smugly at the Vaanti. "Gimme five minutes!"

"Jake, do you even  _know_  how long five minutes is?" Taylor laughed, raising a brow in curiosity, as he bit his lip and recalled the previous times he'd heard the words from the pilot.

"However damn long I say it is!" Jake laughed back, clearly remembering the very same memories as Taylor.

"Hey," Diego said, drawing them from their moment. "Does anybody see-" He cut off abruptly as another glider rocketed past them, spinning out of control. "Never mind, I found them." Diego said lightly, looking after the other glider worriedly.

 _"Aaaaah!"_  Raj and Sean screamed as one, the both of them terrified as they plummeted dangerously close to the ground.

"They're totally out of control!" Taylor gasped, watching them nervously, as Jake guided them smoothly through the air.

"I'm okay!" Raj cried, taking deep breaths as he nodded to himself. "I think I've got the hang of it-"

"You  _don't_  got it, Raj!" Sean cried over him, cutting the larger boy of as he fought to gain control of the glider. "You do  _not_  got it!" He cried, as Cetus fired a blast of lightning at Varyyn and Diego, who deftly dodge it.

"What am I even  _doing_  here?" Diego asked, raking a hand through his hair in near hysteria. "I should be in my pajamas, binge watching  _Friends!"_  He cried, his eyes growing wider as his panic grew.

"I am your friend now, Diego." Varyyn assured him, his tone gentle in it's reassurance. "I will protect you." He said, as Diego flushed pink.

"Hey, Diego!" Taylor called, grinning broadly as his friend looked over. "What's your favorite colour?!" He yelled, and laughed when he saw Diego roll his eyes and laugh, his hysteria abating between Taylor and Varyyn's efforts to calm him.

The gliders began to circle around the village, closing in on Cetus. "The bombs are in the satchels, hanging from the wings!" Varyyn yelled, scowling at the monstrous sea serpent. "Throw them at Cetus when we fly past!"

Taylor reached over into the satchel and grabbed a small wooden sphere, throwing it as hard as he could towards Cetus, but the storm winds blew it off course. Diego made his own attempt, to similar reaction, and the two shared a knowing glance. "The wind's too strong!" Taylor called up to Jake, gesturing to the beast. "We can't hit him!"

"Well?" Jake demanded, glaring at Sean as they passed his and Raj's glider. "Let's see you try it, Cap!"

Sean cocked his arm back and launched a fast ball, but even the athletes expert aim was swept quickly into a waterspout. "Dammit!" Sean growled, narrowing his eyes at the giant beast. "We've gotta get closer!"

"You wanna get closer to that thing?!" Raj yelped, his eyes wide as he peeled over at Cetus, who roared at them gratingly.

"Jake!" Taylor called, pointing towards Cetus as the pilot glanced down at him. "Can you get me in there?"

"Yeah," the pilot replied, cocking his head briefly as he plotted his route. "But it's gonna take some tight turns..." He warned, before flashing a cocky grin down at him. "I'm gonna need you to lean your body weight with me to pull it off!"

Taylor giggled, biting his lip at the memory of the last time he'd moved his body in sync with the pilot. Jake snorted, as if sensing where his mind had gone to, before drawing him back to the mission with a tilt of his head towards Cetus. "You got this." He assured, winking down at him. "Just focus on the  _feel._  Then, when we're close... Drop holy hell on this Godzilla wannabe."

"Consider it dropped!" Taylor said, sniggering as the pilot laughed at his infectious amusement.

"Well then..." Jake said, glancing down to share a heated gaze with Taylor, an excited grin building on his lips. "Here we go!" He cried, as he turned the glider suddenly, steering it straight towards Cetus, flying dangerously close to the monster.

Taylor and Jake moved as one, guiding their glider seamlessly through the air in a continuous, fluid motion. They dodged blast after blast of lightning with ease, and Taylor felt his heart soar in his throat, the sense of compatibility with his pilot almost making him forget about being strapped into the glider at all. Jake swerved, laser focused, as the two of them worked in perfect tandem.

"They're unstoppable!" Sean breathed, as the other gliders floated just out of Cetus's range, watching in awe as Taylor and Jake made their flight seem utterly effortless.

"Go, Taylor!" Diego cheered, whooping and whistling in enthusiastic encouragement of his best friend, as Jake steered them ever closer.

"Nice moves!" Jake called down, his approval practically radiating down to Taylor, as he peeked up at the pilot with a blazing grin. "We're in!" Jake cried excitedly, gesturing quickly to the satchel. "Drop some of those bombs, Boy Scout!"

Taylor hummed thoughtfully, before unhooking the bag from the glider, and holding them out in front of him. "How about,  _all_  of them?" He suggested, beaming up at he pilot, as he yanked the knot holding the satchel closed, and poured the bombs in a steady stream. Two dozen explosives dropped onto Cetus's head, exploding in a litany of blasts.

 ** _"Hhhkkkkk!"_**  The beast roared, its pain obvious as it ducked its head and swayed for several long moments.

 _"Wooo!"_  Raj cried, cheering them loudly. "Kick his ass, Taylor!" He yelled encouragingly.

As Cetus writhed from the attack, Jake swooped their glider close by his head. The glow from his esca, the illuminated tentacle on his head, nearly blinded Taylor as they passed. He shielded his eyes, a d saw the outline of something within it. "Oh,  _hell_  no!" Taylor gasped, lowering his hand in disbelief, and time seemed to slow as he stared at it, utterly enraptured. He didn't even hear Jake's voice calling him, until it was already too late.

"Bank left!  _Bank l-"_  the pilot yelled frantically, as time sped up again, and Taylor finally snapped out of his daze.

"Huh?" He moaned, a hand raising to his brow as Cetus roared furiously and blasted a bolt of lightning straight through the wing of their glider, which consequently caught fire. "Uh oh!"

"Gotta eject!" Jake cried, reaching for him desperately. "Hold onto me!" He ordered, as he piloted the glider low over one of Elyys'tel's platforms and detached their harnesses. They fell only a few feet, Jake pivoting to be underneath Taylor, before they landed hard on the deck.  _"Kff!"_  Jake cried painfully, upon hitting the hard surface, wrapping his arms tightly around Taylor's head and back. They rolled together, coming to a stop a short distance away, near the base of the great elevator, as the glider crashed and burned.

 _"Jake!"_  Taylor cried, frantically pulling away to check the pilot over desperately. When he saw no immediate damage, he gave a half sob of relief, and gazed down at the pilot in disbelief. "You broke my fall!" He said, jabbing him in the chest accusingly.

Jake sat up, wincing as he rubbed at his hip gingerly.  _"Yep."_  He sighed, frowning as he ran a hand through his hair. "Not regretting it at all. Not one bit." Taylor's lower lip trembled, his eyes welling with tears as he sat back and buried his face in his hands. "What the  _hell?!_  Taylor!" Jake balked, trying to prize his hands free of his face as he scooted closer. "I was  _serious,_  okay! I'd do it again in a damn heartbeat!" The pilot declared, only succeeding in making Taylor sob harder.  _"Taylor!"_

Taylor could hear the rising panic in the pilot's voice, but he could do nothing to stem the tide of his tears. His frustration at himself, and his guilt over his distraction made him temporarily inconsolable, and he firmly avoided the pilots offer of comfort.  _Last time he ejected mid-flight, Mike died... How must he have felt..?_  He thought, hating himself for putting the pilot through such a thing. He shook his head and tried to take a deep breath, though it caught in his throat before it could calm him. "I..." He hiccupped, shaking his head again as the words refused to come.

"Taylor!" Jake called pleadingly, trying ever increasingly to gently pry his hands from his face.  _"Taylor,_  you're kinda freakin' me out here... Please, Taylor,  _please..._   _Look at me_!" He begged, finally giving up on removing Taylor's hands from his face lest he hurt him, and instead rubbing his shoulders reassuringly as he pulled him close.

Taylor gulped a deep breath, trying to ignore the pain in his heart as he attempted to get a grip on his rampant emotions. "I'm  _so_  sorry..." He whispered brokenly, shaking his head as Jake's arms paused around him, before resuming their previous motions once more. "I sh-shouldnt've let myself get d-distracted... Then you w-wouldnt've had to-"

"Taylor,  _Taylor..."_  Jake murmured, his relief at Taylor finally responding palpable around them. "Easy... I got you." He said quietly, his hands constantly caressing Taylor in an attempt to soothe him. "Just slow down...  _breathe..._  and tell me what's wrong." He said, his lips pressing briefly to Taylor's shoulder.

"I..." Taylor hiccupped, shaking his head as he sniffed and tried to take a deep, stabilizing breath. "I saw an idol..." He confessed, as Jake stiffened around him. "It... It called to me, and I... I got so distracted..." He gasped, wiping beneath his eyes with his fingers, as he finally lowered his hands to his lap. "And  _you..._  What  _you_  must have felt, having to eject...  _Jake, I'm so sorry!"_  He said, reluctantly raising his red rimmed eyes to meet the pilots confused gaze.

"Taylor..." Jake murmured, his hand sliding up the side of his throat as he drew him forward, pressing their foreheads together in a gesture of comfort that Taylor couldn't reject. "The  _only_  thing I felt; was  _relief_  that you were okay..." The pilot admitted, his clear eyes tormented from Taylor's obvious pain.

Taylor's fingers toyed with the pilots dog tags, his eyes lowered as he tried to shake himself free of the guilt he felt. However, despite the pilots reassurance, he couldn't help the certainty that no matter how briefly; the pilot had been sharply reminded of Mike's death, and Taylor had been the cause of it. "I don't s'pose there's any chance of you not touchin' that idol... If we get it?" Jake sighed, sensing Taylor's inability to forgive himself, and temporarily pushing the issue aside for later.

"I have to..." Taylor said, tilting his head slightly as he traced his finger over the pilots jacket zip. "I don't want to but... I have to. It's me... That idol, it represents  _me."_

"Had'ta give it a shot." Jake huffed, drawing back and curling his finger beneath Taylor's chin, drawing his face up to be level with his own, though Taylor stubbornly kept his eyes on the pilots dog tags. "Taylor..." Jake murmured, leaning forward to kiss Taylor's jaw softly. "It  _wasn't_  your fault." He promised quietly, as Taylor's eyes flicked up to his own briefly. The pilot kissed his jaw again, a light trail of butterfly kisses which tickled faintly due to his light stubble.  _"Taylor..?"_  He pleaded in a whisper, drawing back as Taylor reluctantly met his eyes.

The pilot didn't speak, staring into Taylor's eyes as if he could already see all the answers he sought within them. Taylor bit his lip briefly, before he reached forward and took Jake's hands in his own. "I'm sorry... I-" Jake surged forward, silencing Taylor with his demanding kiss. His lips caressed Taylor's urgently, as if he were attempting to kiss Taylor's every concern away. His fingers curled beneath his jaw, holding him close until Taylor finally began to relax his rigid posture.

"Taylor, listen up..." The pilot murmured, his lips brushing against Taylor's, as he swallowed and nodded to show he was listening. "There's only  _one_  thing I felt when that glider went down, and that's relief that  _you_  were okay... I don't know what you got runnin' through your head; but it's  _wrong,_  okay? You don't got  _nothin'_  to feel guilty over." The pilot assured quietly, as Taylor covered his hand with his own, leaning into the pilots touch.

He nodded, biting his lip as he heaved a shuddering sigh, and tried to lock his guilt away to be dealt with another time. He stole another kiss from the pilot, as Cetus roared triumphantly, and they both turned their attention upwards; as the beast finally found the destroyed glider. They scrambled to their feet, their fingers lacing as they stared up at where the great sea serpent turned his attention to Raj and Sean's glider, which was still completely out of control.

"Sean!" Raj cried, turning his head frantically the glider dipping and diving in accordance with his every move. "I don't see him! Where'd he go?"

"He is  _literally all around us_!" Sean yelled, and Raj looked up to realize they were flying inside Cetus's mouth, as the serpent tried to catch them in his jaws. "Go, go, go!" Sean urged, as he and Raj both banked hard to their left, the glider rolling away from Cetus's maw seconds before it's rows of glittering teeth snapped shut.

"Get him off my ass, Sean!" Raj cried, his eyes wide as he desperately tried to regain control of the glider and aim it carefully away from the mythical beast. "Throw some bombs!"

"Already did!" Sean yelled back, his eyes wide as if surprised by the fact himself. Raj checked the bomb satchel, only to find it was gone. They looked back at Cetus together, as Sean scowled and mock saluted the beast. "Surprise, you son of a bitch!" He growled, as the entire satchel of bombs Sean left behind in Cetus's mouth, began to explode.

 ** _"Hrrrrrrssssss!"_**  Cetus roared, a pained sound which had Jake and Taylor whooping and cheering from where they watched far below. Smoke drifted out from the sea serpents mouth, and Taylor's grin faltered, as his eyes widened in sudden realization. He shoved Jake hard, pushing him aside and rolling over him protectively, as shaken, the giant beast crashed forward; straight through the great trees elevator. The platform where they'd been shattered, and Cetus became entangled in the iron chains. " ** _Riiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrkkkkkk_**!" The beast roared, as it thrashed and tried to free itself. Cetus tried to pull away, but the massive ship anchor was stuck on a thick branch, limiting his movement.

Taylor released his tight grip on Jake, peeking up to check the immediate danger had passed. He pushed himself upright, offering his hand to pull the pilot up beside him. "Guess this makes us even, huh, Boy Scout?" Jake chuckled, brushing some of Taylor's dishevelled hair from his face.

Taylor snorted, shaking his head as he looked up to where Cetus was thrashing wildly. "Not by a  _long_  shot..." He muttered, as he caught sight of Raj and Sean, as they crash landed a few stories below them.

"You guys keep going!" Sean called up to them, as they peered over the edge of the remaining platform. "We'll catch up!"

"Come, Taylor!" Varyyn cried,as he and Diego alighted safely back at the top of the tree, quickly disentangling themselves from the harness. "Now is our chance!"

"To the throne room!" Taylor called in reply, eyeing the debris from Cetus's crash into the elevator platform. "Hey, Top Gun... Wanna go climbing again? He asked, gesturing to a ragged path of rough hand and footholds where the elevator base had been.

"Nothin's ever boring with you, is it Boy Scout?!" Jake scoffed back, his eyes wide as he swept his gaze over the area Taylor gestured to. "Ya know there's another staircase over the other si-"

"Too long!" Taylor called, as he ran over and found himself a firm grip. He ascended quickly, hearing Jake curse behind him, before following in his wake. Within minutes, they'd reached the top, where Diego and Varyyn waited to help pull them up over the edge.

"Dude, next time just take the stairs!" Diego cried, throwing his arms around Taylor aa he noticeably shook. Taylor patted him on the back briefly, before puling him to his feet, gently disentangling himself from his friend to meet his gaze.

"C'mon, Diego..." He ushered gently, and his friend sighed, nodding as they sprinted down the walkway to the throne room doors. Onside the audience hall, they found several Vaanti, huddled together fearfully around the throne.

"The Catalysts are here!" Uqzhaal cheered, his expression brightening exponentially as his crimson eyes settled upon them. "We are saved!"

"We need to get everyone out of this glorified tree house," Jake growled, scowling around the cowering Vaanti. "Before Freakachu out there, goes full lumberjack and tears the place down!"

"I am afraid we cannot evacuate." Ximaedra called over calmly, shaking her head as she stood to greet them. "Many in the village are too old, too young, or too sick..." She explained, peering around them with a confused frown. "Catalysts, my war chief tells me you've been fighting side by side with the Vaanti, to protect Elyys'tel..?" She said, and though she did not day the word, they all heard the silent question;  _why?_

"We're here to help." Estela said, giving an almost imperceptible nod towards Taylor, as he flashed a brief grin her way and sniggered.

"You have my gratitude..." She said, bowing deeply to them, much to Taylor's discomfort. "Right now, what we truly need, is a means of quelling the Sea Guardian's anger." She said, as she rose and frowned thoughtfully.

"Actually..." Taylor said hesitantly, wincing when Jake raised a knowing brow at him. "I... may have an idea about that..." He said, as Jake huffed and averted his eyes, though he snagged Taylor's hand and squeezed it tightly in support; despite his sulking. "Cetus has one of the Catalyst Idols in his esca, that light on his head."

"Ah, that explains much..." Uqzhaal immediately muttered, and Taylor's brows rose in surprise, thinking it hadn't made much sense for the idol to affect him so badly after what must have been so long in possession of the idol. "Do you remember the ritual I performed, at the Tribunal..?" The shaman asked hesitantly.

"Oh my god... The thunder..." Taylor gasped, raising his hand to his brow, where the shaman had rested his own hands against him.

"That was meant to attune you with your Vaalta..." The shaman confessed, his face falling as he shook his head sadly. "If the Sea Guardian possesses one of the idols, then the ritual must've drawn him to this location." He said, gesturing behind him, to where he'd performed the ritual with Taylor.

"No..." Taylor said slowly, gripping his bag and shaking his head, as he turned to Jake imploringly. "The ritual got him moving, yes... But, he didn't come because of the location. He came for the idols... Catalyst..." He broke off, meeting the pilots gaze with eyes heavy with guilt.  _For me_ , and the other idols I brought here... He thought, and Jake seemed to understand his silent torment, as he sighed and shook his head.

Jake opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, Taylor noticed Quinn falter. Then redhead sagged against the wall, and slowly slid down it to the floor. Taylor glanced at Jake, and together with Michelle, they hurried over.  _"Quinn?_  What's wrong?"

"Just..." She puffed, her lashes fluttering against her pale cheeks, as she peeked up at them with a weak smile. "A little winded." She sighed, as Michelle checked her pulse.

"Your pulse is  _really_  low, Quinn..." The blonde said, exchanging a grim glance with Taylor and Jake, before refocusing on Quinn.

"I'm fine, I-" she gasped, trying to push herself up, but ultimately failing as her strength abandoned her.

"You just rest here, okay?" Taylor said softly, brushing her hair from her face and smiling down at her warmly.

"I won't  _quit,_  Taylor." She said determinedly, puffing her cheeks out as she pouted at him. "I'm  _not_  gonna give up." She added, a defiant gleam in her eyes.

"I  _know."_  Taylor huffed, grinning widely at her. "I'm not asking you to... I need you to keep fighting.  _That_  is why you have to  _rest."_  He said, batting her on the nose gently with his fingertip.

Quinn swallowed, and after a long pause she nodded, a tiny grin tugging at her lips as she finally conceded her need to rest.

"We must decide on a strategy." Seraxa said, looking around the chamber superiorly. "Now."

"We have to lead Cetus away, get the idols Catalyst out of the city, while he's distracted and once he realizes they're gone he should just... Leave." Taylor explained, his eyes meeting Jake's as he discreetly tapped his bag.

"Someone can take the glider, make him think they're what he wants..." Jake suggested, scratching his stubble thoughtfully. "Fly inland, out of reach... Don't give the big bastard a reason to stick around."

"But, whoever does that might not survive the escape..." Sean said, frowning between the two, as they held an entirely separate conversation within their own eyes.

"Certainly not." Varyyn agreed calmly, gesturing through the throne room doors towards the glider in question. "We have only one glider intact, and it is right in front of him... It is  _impossible_  for us all to survive this!" He said, growing visibly frustrated as he glanced around those he cared for, his gaze lingering on Diego.

"We must try." Uqzhaal insisted, as Taylor gasped, feeling something inside himself clench painfully. "All that matters is the Catalysts, and the idols. They are our key, to finding The Endless."

"I don't see  _you_  volunteering, Uqzhaal." Seraxa snarled, eyeing the old shaman with a fierce glare.

"Uqzhaal is right." Ximaedra said calmly, her eyes resting upon her son thoughtfully.

 _"Wha-"_  Varyyn choked, his gaze darting to his mother in wide eyed surprise and concern.

"The idols and their Catalysts guide our way to our oracle, The Endless One." The Elyyshar said, meeting her sons eyes with a calming expression. "Without them, we may not survive Raan'losti. We cannot give them up." She said, a hint of finality in her tone. She smiled warmly at her son, her eyes filled with love and pride. "Have faith. We  _will_  reach that glider..."

"Jake..." Taylor murmured hesitantly, holding him back as the other drifted away to prepare themselves. "I..." He choked, unable to put his fears into words.

"I know, Boy Scout." The pilot said, cupping his cheek with his palm and drawing him close. "I know." He murmured, resting their foreheads together to both give and receive comfort.

After forcing themselves apart, and helping the others with the preparations for the final encounter, they left the throne room; ready to face Cetus once more. Varyyn crouched with Taylor behind the cover, peering around at the great beast as he continued to thrash below them. "We must move with haste. As soon as Cetus notices us, he may quickly destroy the glider."

"I'm ready." Diego said calmly, as Taylor whipped his gaze to his best friend, his jaw falling slack as Diego quickly snagged his back and slung it over his own shoulders while he was distracted by his shock.

"Wait, what? Diego,  _no!"_  Taylor gasped, reaching for his bag, only for Diego to push it out of his reach.

"Dude, I heard you in there." Diego said quietly, glancing to Varyyn briefly. "I know how much this means to you... I'm not about to let you go out there and risk your damn life, just because you feel  _guilty."_  He said, scowling at Taylor, even as he rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder.  _"You,_  get as far inland as you can, as fast as you can. We'll meet you as soon as  _we_  can." He promised. "I can do this." He added in a fierce whisper, as Taylor lunged forward and swamped him in a tight hug.

"I'll get him outta here safe and sound." Jake said, and Taylor choked as he spun around to see the determined expression on the pilots face.

"Oh no,  _no, no, no!_ " Taylor cried, backing away from them both, pointing at them accusingly. "It's bad enough having to worry about one of you being in that bloody situation! I can't handle worrying about both of you!" He rambled, his hands tugging at his hair, as panic settled into his mind. It gnawed its way through him, chewing at his nerves and fraying every belief of his own strength. "I can't, I can't, I-"

"Taylor."

He shook his head, backing into the throne room wall, reaching out with one hand; although he couldn't tell if it was to force the approaching pilot to keep his distance, lr drag him onto his arms so he could never let go.

"Taylor, you  _know_  it make's sense." Jake reasoned, gently brushing his hand aside, as Taylor pressed himself against the wall to try and avoid the pilots offer of warmth and comfort.

 _"No,_  I  _don't."_  Taylor rebuffed stubbornly, turning his face aside when the pilot tried to meet his gaze. "What I know is you should be coming with me, and letting Varyyn fly." He groused, his eyes stinging as he refused to allow his tears of frustration to fall.

"Taylor... We have to go." Jake sighed,wrapping his arms around him, despite Taylor's stubborn refusal to reciprocate. "C'mon, Boy Scout... Let us help you." The pilot whispered, as Taylor gripped at his jacket collar tightly.

"I do  _not_  like this plan." He choked in a half sob, finally looking up to meet the pilots gaze. _"I hate it._ "

"I know." Jake said, nodding as he released Taylor and slowly backed away from him. "Me too." He admitted, as he turned to Diego, clapping him on the shoulder as they prepared to break away for the glider.

Taylor bit his lip, hesitating for a moment, his heart almost clambering out of his throat as his breath quickened.  _"Jake!"_  He called desperately, rushing after the pilot. Jake turned back, and immediately found himself smothered by Taylor's rough and needy kiss. Taylor tugged at the pilots hair, harder than he initially meant to, as he desperately tried to pour his every emotion into his kiss.

"Heh, thought you were mad at me." Jake muttered, when Taylor finally released him, his eyes pleading as he peered up at him.

"Oh, I am.  _Furious."_  Taylor admitted, giggling in near hysteria as he swallowed heavily, his heart clamped by a fierce case of terror.

"Then, what was-"

"What?" Taylor huffed, his fingers clenching and unclenching in the pilots jacket collar as he tried to get a grip on his paranoia. "It was a good luck kiss."

Jake's eyes widened in surprise briefly, before his gaze softened, as he recalled their earlier kiss. "You think your kisses are lucky?" He asked, a small grin curling the corners of his lips.

Taylor closed his eyes and forced himself to let go of the pilot, taking a determined step backwards and clutching his hands behind his back. He opened his eyes and stared at Jake pleadingly, his heart racing as his tears finally began to fall. "Tell me when you find me." He said, his voice breaking as Jake swallowed heavily, and nodded.

As if sensing their exchange was over, Varyyn gestured towards the glider, his golden eyes sympathetic as he turned toward Taylor. "Then, we go."

Taylor nodded, taking a deep breath as he wiped beneath his eyes, forcing himself to become a blank slate for the coming trial. "On my count." He said, as he cleared his throat and steeled his resolve. "One..." He said, looking at Diego as his friend offered him an encouraging grin. "Two..." He said shakily, as he looked at Jake, who winked cockily at him. "Th-"

"Where is she going?!" Lila cried, standing on the throne room doorway, and pointing towards the edge of the city, where Ximaedra was calmly walking towards Cetus.

"Hear me, Sea Guardian!" She roared defiantly, drawing back a bow and launching a single, plain arrow. It struck Cetus's side, hardly a pinprick through his thick scales.

 _"Mother!"_  Varyyn cried, his eyes wide as he broke from the cover and began to race towards the stairs to the lower platforms.

" _Ximaedra, come back!_ " Taylor yelled, hurrying to follow after Varyyn as a fresh wave of guilt and panic consumed his heart.  _I can't let her die! I can't let anyone else die! She can't die because of me!_  He thought desperately, as he raced after Varyyn, ignoring everyone as they called for him to stop.

"What is she  _doing?"_  Lila repeated, as she caught up to him, by the stairs.

"She's giving us a distraction, and we're  _wasting_  it!" Estela cried furiously, as Ximaedra launched another arrow at the great sea serpent.

"Hear me!" She roared, glaring ferociously at the beast, as Cetus finally turned towards her. Lightning bloomed along Cetus's teeth, charging up for an attack.

"Dammit, Petey, we've gotta  _go!"_  Jake cried, breaking away from the group and hurrying Diego towards the glider, as they jumped the final stairs to the right platform.  _"Now!"_

Taylor glanced back, meeting Jake's eyes briefly as he and Diego made a dash towards the glider, his heart seeming to split in two s he raced after Varyyn towards his mother; wishing he could be with his pilot and best friend also.  _"Mother!"_  Varyyn cried desperately, as Ximaedra looked back at her son. Even from the great distance still between them, Taylor could see the tears glistening in her eyes.

"You were right, my son." She called, folding her arms before her in a dignified, and regal pose. "It is impossible for us all to survive this."

 _"No!"_  Varyyn yelled, trying to push himself faster, but to no avail, as he and Taylor were still too far away.

"The people look to you now..." Ximaedra said calmly, her lips curving into a proud smile, as she tipped her head to him and closed her eyes.  _"Elyyshar."_  Cetus's bolt of lightning arced down, engulfing Ximaedra entirely.

Taylor skidded to a halt, his heart seeming to seize in his chest, as he fell to his knees, the bright light blinding him. When his eyes readjusted, all he could see was her body, crumpled on the walkway. "No..." He whispered, his eyes locked on the sight as Varyyn raced over to her.

 _"Noooo!"_  Her son cried desperately, dashing over to collapse at her side, picking her up and cradling her gently in his embrace. Taylor forced himself to his feet, stumbling over as her eyes fluttered closed, her chest hardly even rising as she barely managed to keep breathing. "Mother,  _please..."_  Varyyn begged, his eyes streaming with tears as he shook his head in denial. "I cannot be Elyyshar. You must lead us through this!" He pleaded desperately, reaching for the blue crystals of her necklace.

However, Ximaedra grabbed his wrist, stopping him; as she weakly shook her head. " _Some... Choices_..." She rasped, convulsing as the life quickly drained from her broken body. " _Must... Last._.." She choked, before falling limp. Taylor came to a stop, his hand pressed over his mouth as he closed his eyes and allowed his guilt to consume him.

Varyyn trembled from anguish, as the rain fell heavily around him,and behind him; the great Sea Guardian, loomed. A noise distracted Cetus's attention, and Taylor turned to follow the beasts gaze, his heart lurching when he saw Diego and Jake flying toward the centre of the island.

"We made it!" Jake called back to them, one hand raised in farewell. "She did it!" He reassured, though Taylor could hear the grief in the pilots voice. He saw Diego look back, sadly gazing upon Varyyn as he held his mother's lifeless body. He raised a hand to them, silently waving them off as his heart throbbed painfully at their loss, as well as Varyyn's.

"They did it." Estela marvelled, drawing Taylor attention from the pair as they flew deeper inland. "They're safe." She said, as Cetus turned away from Varyyn, to face Jake and Diego instead.

Suddenly, Taylor could feel an energy in the air, and he felt his hair stand up on end. "Oh, Estela... I get the feeling you should  _not_  have said that!" Taylor muttered lowly, slowly turning his gaze toward Cetus, as the monster hazed after the departing glider.

"Do you guys feel that?" Lila asked, her eyes wide as she stared around them nervously.

"Oh no..." Seraxa sighed despondently, as right in front of Jake's glider, a tornado descended from the sky.

 _"Jake!"_  Taylor screamed desperately, his eyes darting towards his pilot as his heart hammered in his chest.  _"Diego!"_  He cried, his panic for the two returning as he watched the sudden tornado swirl before them with mounting terror.

"What the  _hell?"_  He almost cried with relief, upon hearing Jake's snarky cry of disbelief, as he wheeled the glider agilely out of the tornado's path.

"Did this thing just make a tornado out of thin air?!" Estela demanded, glancing between the beast and the glider nervously.

"Yes..." Seraxa admitted, her face falling as she sighed and ran a hand over her braids. "Cetus  _is_  the storm."

Taylor watched with his heart in his throat, as the tornado's wind finally overpowered Jake's glider, spinning them back towards Cetus.  _He thinks its one of them... Because they have the other idols!_  He thought with a quiet gasp.

As the pair unwillingly drew closer, Taylor was able to make out Diego's panicked ramblings. "Oh crap, oh crap!" He cried repeatedly, seeming to have forgotten any other words from the English language, staring with wide eyes as they rapidly approached the sea monster.

Taylor took a single step back, before turning and running to Varyyn's side. "Varyyn! We have to  _do_  something!" He cried, unable to think past the haze of panic in his mind. "Cetus is bringing Diego and Jake back!"

"We have to  _save_  them!" Lila cried, voting her thumb nail nervously as she stared up at the glider.

"How could I?" Varyyn muttered morosely, his fingers caressing his mothers cheek brokenly. "I couldn't even save my own mother."

Taylor felt a swarm of rage rush through him, and he lurched forward, grabbing Varyyn by the shoulders and shaking him forcefully. "Do you  _see_  that?!" He demanded, pointing to Jake's rapidly approaching glider.  _"Diego_  is on board that glider, and he is going to  _die;_  just like your mother did, at Cetus's... uh,  _tentacles..."_  He wavered, losing track of himself briefly, as Varyyn stared at him in shock. "Ximaedra gave her  _life_  to do this! And you're  _letting_  it all fall apart! You can  _not_  let that happen, Varyyn!"

"Everyone, and everything that wronged you is going to  _pay."_  Estela promised, gripping her spear tightly as she glared at the monstrous sea serpent. "But you have to  _fight!_  If you give up now, Cetus just killed your mother; for  _nothing!"_

Anger flashed across Varyyn's face, and he kissed his mother's forehead briefly, before laying her gently on the ground. He pushed to his feet, and turned to flare at the serpent which had claimed her life. "He  _will_  pay." He growled, as he scanned the area for an idea. "We have to force a retreat... and we don't have much time."

Taylor glanced up to the sky, watching as Jake's glider drew closer to Cetus with every passing second.  _Or... I could give him what he wants.._. He thought, biting his lip briefly before pushing the idea aside, remembering his promise not to his pilot to no longer chase solo suicide missions.

"But how?" Lila sighed, toying with the hem of her tour guide shirt as she peered around in resignation. "The catapults, the bombs, we don't have any attack that's seeing enough..."

 _"We_  do not." Varyyn agreed, his gaze hard as steel, as he glared up at Cetus hatefully. "But  _he_  does." He said, pointing at Cetus himself.

"That's it!" Estela gasped, twirling her spear thoughtfully and standing the blunt end against the ground. "Find a way to use his own electric attack against him!"

Taylor winced, quickly realizing that his promise to Jake might not to be one he was able to keep after all. His heart sank, as his eyes travelled along the heavy chains which had raised and lowered the elevator. "We use the anchor." He said, glancing at the stunned expressions around him before rolling his eyes in exasperation. "He's still caught in the anchors chain, from when he crashed into the elevator..." He explained, trailing off as the others gasped and cheered.

"And the metal will conduct the electricity back to him!" Estela concluded, beaming a proud grin at him as she leaned against her spear.

"Taylor," Lila cheered, giggling as she smiled over at him excitedly. "You're a genius!"

Taylor averted his eyes, chewing his lips thoughtfully as he tried to work out how to proceed without breaking his promise to the pilot. "That is the plan." Varyyn growled, clearly keen to be moving against the beast. "We get Cetus to hit the anchor with a bolt of lightning!" His fierce expression faltered suddenly, as he realised the single major fault in their planning. "But,  _how_  do we get him to do that..?"

"I have something we can use as bait..." Taylor said, trying to make himself sound confident but not suspicious, and hoping he was successful. "Only problem is, it's up in the air with Diego... And there are no gliders left to go get it."

"There are no  _intact_  gliders left..." Varyyn said slowly, walking over to the remains of a glider which Taylor recognised all too well, from a burnt hold in one wing.

"This is crazy, Varyyn!" He protested, walking over to join him as Varyyn began to determinedly strap himself into the harness. "You'll barely be able to maneuver; Cetus got us with a direct hit!"

"It will last long enough." Varyyn said firmly, as he continued to tighten straps and test the gliders movement. "It may be more difficult while carrying whatever it is you seek alone, but I will do it. I must."

Taylor hesitated, glancing up at Jake's glider as it was drawn ever closer to Cetus, before turning his gaze to the monster itself.  _If I get my bag, Cetus would leave Jake and diego alone... He'd focus on us, and we'd be in prime placement, right over the anchor._.. He thought, his hand shooting out to prevent Varyyn from leaving as his expression morphed into a confident smirk. "Good thing you won't be alone then." He said, climbing into the second harness and quickly strapping himself in. "I'll get the bait. You just...  _fly."_  He said, swallowing thickly as he took a deep, steadying breath.

Varyyn nodded, and dropped the glider over the edge. They caught the air, wobbling from the hole in the wing, but managed to head towards Jake and Diego.

"What the  _hell_  are you doing?!" Jake demanded, scowling at Taylor first, and then Varyyn. "And  _you!_  What the  _hell_  is  _he_  doing here?!  _And did you know this guy can make tornadoes?!"_

 _"Diego!"_  Taylor called, holding out his arms, "just toss me the bag!" He said urgently, refusing to meet the pilots suspicious gaze, which he could feel burning into the top of his head.

 _"What?!"_  Diego cried, holding it closer instead as he frowned at Taylor.  _"Why?!"_

"We have a plan." Varyyn said, the only calm and non-suspicious or guilty voice among them. His sincerity worked in Taylor's favour, as Diego met the Vaanti's eyes, and nodded, before unhooking the bag and throwing it to Taylor.

Taylor caught the bag deftly, clutching it tightly to his chest as he tried to suck up his courage. "Nice catch!" Diego cheered proudly, as Taylor huffed and rolled his eyes. "Take good care of Taylor, Varyyn... That's my best friend you've got there!" Diego called, beaming a wide grin towards the Vaanti, as Taylor felt his cheeks flush in embarrassment.

"Diego..." He groaned, swinging his bag over his shoulder, as Varyyn nodded to Diego and turned them sharply away from the other glider; heading back towards Elyys'tel, where Cetus awaited them.

Taylor mustered his courage as best he could, his heart racing in his chest. He watched as electricity once more crackled along his remaining teeth, preparing to strike then down."He's looking right at us!" Taylor yelled up to Varyyn, glancing down to see they were still a fair distance away from the anchor. "The plan's working!"

"A little  _too_  well!" Varyyn called back, grimacing as he judged the remaining distance for himself. "We must make it to the anchor!" He growled, his face a determined scowl as he tried to drag some more speed from the glider. Cetus roared, and Taylor turned slowly, a flash of light surrounding them; as Cetus fired, again and again. Each time, Varyyn managed to deftly avoid the blasts, Taylor trying to help by matching the Vaanti's movements as beat he could. "We are..." Varyyn growled, pushing the glider for all he was worth.  _"Almost..._  there!" He cried, as he flew them directly towards the heavy chains.

"Come on!" Taylor muttered, pretending he couldn't hear the frantic screams of his best friend and the pilot he loved. Taylor's breath caught in his throat, as Cetus spat lightning towards then again, just as Varyyn dive behind the ship anchor, dangling from the tree branches. The beasts aim was true, striking the iron anchor and channeling the massive current down the chain; directly into Cetus himself.

 ** _"Rrrrrrkkkrkkrkkkrk!"_**  The Sea Guardian bellowed, it's pained screams reverberating through the air around them. Stunned, the serpent slumped against the tree, his head resting upon a building awkwardly. Varynn brought them in for a soft landing, and Taylor laughed in giddy relief, as he hopped out of the harness quickly.

"You have wounded the serpent... But he yet lives!" Seraxa snarled, brandishing her blades as she crouched low to the ground.

"Then lets do something about that, shall we?" Taylor growled, glaring at the sea monster himself.  _"There! Look!"_  He cried, pointing to the outline of the Catalyst idol encased within the bulb if Cetus's esca.

"I will mount the beasts head, and cut it out of him!" Seraxa promised darkly, her blades flashing threateningly in the dim lighting.

Taylor nodded sharply to her, stepping aside as she launched herself forward. "Get me my damn trophy." He called after her, as with an eager grin, Seraxa vaulted onto Cetus's head with a stunning leap. She grabbed his esca by the stem, and her grin turned feral and she sneered down at the injured beast.

"My pleasure." She purred, slashing straight through the thin tentacle with her obsidian blade. However, as she did so, the bulb released the idol; seemingly of it's own volition. It rolled down Cetus's head, falling of the edge as Taylor blinked, and time seemed to suddenly slow around him.

 _"No!"_  He cried, running towards the edge, as it glinted at him ominously. Time seemed to slowly right itself, as the idol passed just out of sight below the platform, plummeting down towards the sea below. Taylor didn't even slow himself, racing toward the edge of the platform as he ignored the calls of his friends and leapt from the top platform of Elyys'tel. He looked up, mouthing and apology at the two petrified faces staring back at him, before he plunged, weightless through space.

 _"Taylor!"_  He heard Jake's frantic calls, but the pilot was too far away to do anything but watch, as he steered his glider back to the very platform Taylor had launched himself from. "Taylor,  _no!"_

"What are you  _doing?!"_  Estela demanded, reaching over the edge after him, but too late to catch him. "Are you  _crazy?!"_

"Come on..." Taylor gasped, reaching out with his fingertips as the wind stung his eyes. The golden glint of the idol grew closer, and closer, and his hand sealed around it; just before he hit the water.

He felt the familiar sensation of being ripped through time and space, finding himself deposited joltingly into his own body, as he sat on the bed in a college dorm room. Taylor frowned, glancing around in confusion for a moment, before he felt a very vague sense of recognition. Nearby, Diego tried a shirt, checking himself in the mirror. Thudding bass from Saturday night frat parties, wafts through the open window.

 _"Okay..."_  Diego sighed, and Taylor couldn't help but run his eyes over his friend fondly, drinking in the sight of his friend; free of his beard, and once more with his short hair. "I guess this looks good enough."

"Relax!" Taylor laughed, though the action felt strange to him, foreign almost; hollow. "You look great!" He enthused, as Diego shook his head, seemingly choosing to ignore Taylor's reassurances as he continued to worry himself.

"Maybe I'll actually make some friends this time..." Diego said, the obvious hope in his voice almost breaking Taylor's heart, as his friend took a deep breath.

"Gee,  _thanks_  Diego. I feel so appreciated." Taylor snorted, rolling his eyes as Diego once more ignored his interjection.

"Or, I could just stop kidding myself; stay in tonight, and binge on some Netflix..." Diego said worriedly, fiddling with his shirt nervously as he eyed his reflection critically.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Taylor asked seriously, frowning at Diego's obvious distress. "You were talking about going to this party all week..." He said, trying to cheer his sullen friend.

"... I  _did_  promise myself I'd go..." Diego admitted in a low mutter, though he looked no more enthusiastic for it. Diego stared at himself in the mirror, biting his lip as he tried to find his nerve.

"I'm fine either way." Taylor said, though he once more felt the strange sense of hollowness within him, as he again tried to reassure his friend. "I think we've still got ice cream in the freezer..!"

"Ugh, come on." Diego growled under his breath, scowling at himself as he nodded his head in self encouragement. "I'll just go. I'm gonna  _go."_  He said, growing louder as he psyched himself up. "I'm gonna  _do_  it!" He said, before his breath exploded in a reluctant sigh. "Sometimes... I just wish I had... someone...  _special..."_

"Diego..." Taylor said, his heart breaking at the emptiness in his friends eyes. "You are an  _amazing_  guy!" He said, wishing he could get up from the bed so he could go comfort his friend. "You'll find someone, dude. I  _know_  it." He assured. Taylor felt a sudden rush of affection not only Diego, but also for Varyyn; as he realised the Vaanti has erased a small part of the pain and loneliness in his best friend. He grinned widely, holding his feet as he sat cross legged and rocked excitedly on the bed. "One day, you'll meet someone outta nowhere, and it'll be  _exactly_  who you've been looking for all along!"

He said, and a shy smile slowly spread across Diego's face. A sudden knocking sound startled him, and he walked to the door hesitantly. "Hello?" He called, opening the door, to reveal nobody there. "That's weird..." He said, stepping out into the hall to look around.

"Who is it?" Taylor called curiously, getting up to follow Diego out and see for himself, only for the world to suddenly blur all around him. The room stretched to the horizon, as Taylor lurched, feeling a sickness burn in his stomach. "Diego..?" He gasped, grabbing at the wall as he felt the nausea in his gut swirl.  _"Diego..?!_  What's... what's  _happening..?"_  He choked, struggling to keep his balance as he finally stumbled to the doorway and followed him out the door into pitch blackness. He turned to look back at the room, but it was gone; leaving him entirely surrounded by the blank darkness all around him.

 _"Diego?!"_  He cried, stumbling through the void, as the sickness and nausea clashed with the hollowness inside him until suddenly, he found himself in a rainforest. The strange churning within him stopped entirely, and he frowned in confusion, as he looked up to see the peak of the volcanic Mount Atropo , barely visible through the canopy. He shook his head at the strange sense of delirium he felt, but as he made to raise a hand to his brow, he noticed he held a small shovel. "Huh..?" He huffed, finding himself almost out of breath. He heard a clinking sound as he walked, and he looked down to see a ball chain around his neck; dog tags, which were all too familiar. He pulled them up with trembling fingers, his heart hammering painfully against his ribs as his throat clenched tightly. As he wiped away the grime to see the embossed name, his heart shattered, and the scream of denial he desperately wished to voice; became lodged in his tight throat.

' **McKenzie, Jacob Lucas**.'

He whirled around in the middle of the rainforest, his eyes wide and frantic as his heart pounded, the sound deafening to his own ears. He was entirely alone. He looked down at his trembling body, finding himself covered with dirt; and blood.  _"Jake!"_  He called desperately, his eyes streaming desperately as he tried to get a grip on his rapidly deteriorating mental state.  _"Jake!"_  He called again, his voice strained, breaking as a sob escaped him. "Jake..?" He pleaded quietly, knowing in his heart there would be no answer. "Raj? Craig? Estela? ...  _Anyone..?"_  He called tiredly, looking around the rainforest dejectedly. He hiccupped another sob, and began to teudge forward again, his body seeming to know the way. Eventually, he broke through the edge of the trees and found himself faced with a familiar cave.

"The Threshold..." He murmured, entering cautiously, each footstep echoing in the dark chamber. "Sean? Grace? Aleister?" He called hopefully, though in his battered heart, he knew there would come no replies. "Jake...  _please..."_  He whispered fervently, gripping the dog tags around his neck tightly. "You guys in here?" He called louder, as his eyes slowly began to adjust. He pressed forward, until he stepped onto a mound of dirt, almost tripping at the sudden uneven terrain. "What the-" he muttered, stepping back and looking down only to see more mounds.

With a dull scream of denial beginning to throb at the back of his mind, he slowly counted them all, before looking down at the shovel in his hands.  _Eleven mounds of dirt in a row.._. He thought, stepping back as he shook his head, his eyes stinging as they ran with tears he had no chance of stopping.  _Eleven... graves..._  "No... No, _no, no._..  _No_..!" He chanted, crashing into the wall as he stared in horror at the scene before him. He choked, clutching at his throat with one hand as he forgot how to breathe, his loss resounding throughout every part of him as his free hand curled tightly around Jake's dog tags.

He closed his eyes and buried his head in his knees, curling around himself tightly as he tried to forget everything he'd seen. His broken heart fluttered weakly as sobbed and choked, and slowly the pain began to ebb away. He felt himself grow lighter, floating peacefully until a light so bright it hurt his eyes even through his closed eyelids, flashed around him. He peeled them open a crack, finding himself beneath the waves at the base of the Vaanti village, his fingers clutching tightly to the idol. He looked towards his left as the current moved slightly, to find Cetus; burned and wounded, slipping deeper into the water around him. His enormous body and tail continued so far into the sea, that Taylor couldn't even see where they ended, although in his detachment; he also didn't care. As the beast sank beneath the waves, he turned his sightless head to Taylor one last time; and then he was gone, vanishing into the depths. Taylor watched the beast sink, before looking up at the glittering surface above him. He reached for his neck, and was relieved to find it free of dog tags, though his broken heart did not take comfort in the fact.

 _That's what I'm going to face... Watching my friends die around me, unable to stop it... unable to save them_. He thought despondently, his gaze turning down again, as he continued to sink into the darkness. He closed his eyes and felt his consciousness ebb, his pain finally easing as he allowed himself to feel the quiet peace that the depths offered.  _Please understand... I can't watch all of this happen anymore..._  He thought pleadingly, a faint sound like the crashing reaching his ears, and another; but it was dulled, like the pain in his heart. With a tired sigh, he released his remaining air, and his world almost faded to darkness around him, even as a sharp tug drew him upwards.

He felt entirely cheated of his peaceful solitude, when what felt like moments later, the idol was torn from his grip and stuff into his bag, a coldness seeping into his face and chest as he bobbed through the surface of the sea, unwillingly gasping a deep breath as he choked and coughed up water. "That's it, Boy Scout, cough it up..." Jake's relieved tone made his heart both melt and break, a painful reminder of the vision he desperately wanted to forget.

"Come on, lets get him to shore!" Diego panted, and Taylor weakly peeled his eyes open to peer blurrily at his best friend; as he helped the pilot drag Taylor towards the nearby shoreline. The three of them panted, and coughed, as they crawled onto the sand, and Taylor flopped down immediately to curl into a ball on his side. However, his attempts were in vain, as the pilot grabbed his shoulders and forced him to his back to look at him.

"What the  _bloody hell-"_  Whatever scolding Jake had been about to deliver, remained unspoken, his hard gaze melting to concern and confusion; at the broken expression Taylor wore. For a moment he stared, dripping quietly as they regained their breath. As Taylor's breath hitched, his expression crumpling, Jake surged forward, claiming his lips roughly and demandingly. His teeth dragged across Taylor's lip, causing him to arch against the pilot at the sudden rush of emotions which overwhelmed him. He wrapped his arms around Jake's shoulders tightly, drawing him as close as he was physically able in his desperation.

Diego tactfully said nothing, seeming to sense Taylor's need for the reassurance's only Jake could give. He moved a short distance away, allowing them the illusion of privacy as Taylor clawed at Jake's shoulders, pressing himself upwards in an attempt to feel as much of his pilot against him as he physically could. His hands dove up beneath the pilots shirt, coming to a halt over the other mans rapidly beating heart, and his frantic motions finally ceased. He panted heavily, as Jake drew back, looking down at Taylor in concern as he saw the pain buried in his eyes. He sighed, and reached for Taylor's chin, tilting his head up so his dark blue eyes met Jake's cerulean ones. "I'm not going anywhere." He promised quietly, as Taylor hiccuped brokenly. "I'm here _, I got you._.. I'm not letting go..."

"I-" Taylor shook his head, his throat constricting even as he tried to take a deep breath to stabilize himself. "I was..."

"Taylor, it wasn't real-"

"But it  _was._  Once, at least..." Taylor said, swallowing thickly as he glanced over at Diego,offering his hand to his obviously concerned friend. "And, if it is again... I don't- I don't think I could take it guys. I... I can't be alone again..." He whispered, as Jake and Diego exchanged a worried glance.

"Taylor, you're  _not_  alone." Jake promised, leaning down to press a kiss to his temple. "We're  _here,_  see? You can feel  _this,_  right?" He said, gripping Taylor's hand tightly and pressing it harder against his racing heart.

 _"Jake..."_  He sighed, his fingers spreading over the pilots chest as he tried to calm the rapid flare of agony coursing through him. He closed his eyes and focused on the beat of Jake's heart, as it slowly returned to a normal, steady rhythm.

"Taylor, I dunno what you saw..." Jake murmured, his voice a low rumble against his ear. "But we're gonna  _beat_  it, okay? We're gonna  _win,_  and you ain't  _never_  gonna have to see it again..." He assured gruffly, as Taylor took a deep, shuddering breath.

 _"Jake..."_  He murmured, his eyes locking onto the pilots dog tags. He felt a stab of nausea in his gut, but it was quickly replaced by the sense of rightness; at seeing them back where they belonged. He nodded his head, swallowing heavily as he looked up at Jake with a glimmer of determination fluttering in his heart. "Okay..." He said, his breath rushing from him in a heavy gust, as the pilot grinned at him crookedly, sagging in obvious relief.

"Good job, Boy Scout..." He chuckled, exchanging a glance with Diego briefly, as he helped Taylor to his feet. Taylor looked up, as they began to trudge up the beach together, Jake one side of him, Diego the other; as a massive cheer went up from the Vaanti, as they watched Cetus retreat. He glanced at Diego, squeezing his hand briefly, before reaching for his bag.

"So..." Taylor said awkwardly as Diego handed it over, allowing him to throw it over his shoulder. He glanced up at the pilot, as Jake joined their hands together. "What happened to your glider?" He asked, as Jake and Diego both snorted, and gestured towards where the vehicle was stuck in the sand a short ways down the beach.

"Some  _idiot_  jumped off the highest platform," Diego scoffed, as Jake pulled him to a halt beside the grand staircase. "We ejected to rescue him and just, let it crash." He said, as Taylor huffed a guilty chuckle.

"Hmm, lucky idiot." He hummed tiredly, his fingers toying with the collar of the pilots jacket, as Diego coughed and turned away.

Jake watched him for several seconds, though it felt like a million years had passed to Taylor, when he cleared his throat suddenly and changed the subject. "That was some quick thinking, to bail us out back there." He said, a soft smirk on his lips as Taylor looked up at him with a raised brow. "Guess I owe you one."

"I'm sorry, but your tab is  _waaaay_  past one." Taylor laughed, a genuine smile finally curling his lips as a small bubble of hope rose in his chest.

"Dude, I'm pretty sure  _yours_  is too..." He heard Diego snicker quietly, as Jake hummed and leaned down to brush his lips over Taylor's, in a strangely tender kiss.

Taylor took comfort from the pilots kiss, using it to fan the small flame of determination and hope growing in his heart. When the pilot finally withdrew, their eyes connected in a brief exchange of understanding, before they turned as one to continue up the stairs.

"Hey, have you seen Varyyn?" Diego asked, a wide grin forming on his lips as a hush fell over the city. As they reached the top of the staircase, Diego turned to see varyyn carrying his mother's body, his face contorted in misery. As he passed by, one by one, the Vaanti knelt to their new Elyyshar.

Diego watched in clear agony, as Varyyn continued towards them, his golden eyes dull as he stared glinly ahead of him. Taylor hesitated briefly, before he knelt to the Vaanti, much to the surprise of Jake, Diego and Varyyn himself. "Some sacrifices deserve respect," he said simply, as Varyyn paused beside them. "No matter what." He added, as Varyyn swallowed and bowed his head in gratitude.

With a reluctant groan, Jake fell to his own knees, rolling his eyes at Taylor's proud grin. Diego met Varyyn's eyes, a small proud grin on his face, as he too dropped to his knees. The new Elyyshar eyed them all in surprise, before his back straightened, and he continued on his journey with determination.

Once he had passed, they returned to their feet, and moved away to go find their friends. They climbed to the highest platform, as the last of the storm clouds dispersed, and the Vaanti began to gather a jubilant procession through the rubble of their village. "Kinda weird to have a parade when everything's destroyed, ya know?" Craig said, as they finally rejoined the group.

 _"You_  are an idiot!" Estela growled, punching Taylor hard in the shoulder. "A crazy, stupid  _idiot!"_  She added, hitting him again in the other shoulder for good measure, before quickly throwing her arms around him. "I hate you  _so_  much right now." She growled in obvious embarrassment and frustration.

"Heh, I know Estela." He said, wincing at his sore shoulders, as the girl drew back from the brief hug quickly, and stomped away.

"The Elyyshar's coronation must take place as soon as the predecessor passes on." Uqzhaal explained, as he hobbled over. "Through peace and war, the line of succession remains constant."

"Yeah dummy!" Taari laughed, pointing at Craig as he stuck his tongue out. Taylor smiled, pleased to see the boy was not only okay, but in high spirits.

"Hey!" Craig growled, though his tone was playful as he pointed back at the child. "Only my friends can call me that!" He teased, chuckling when Taari began to laugh. "We ain't friends yet, kid!"

"Hee hee," Taari giggled, throwing himself at Craig and hugging him tightly. "I  _like_  this Cat-a-liss!" He said, as Zahra turned her back to the jock so she could hide her laughter.

Taylor turned away from the sight, looking up at Seraxa cautiously as the war chief approached him. "Catalyst, I have something for you... if you wish." She said, hesitating briefly before offering him a neatly folded set of Vaanti clothes.

"What  _is_  this?" He asked lightly, wrinkling his nose at Jake as he disentangled his hand from the pilots with a huff of amusement, carefully taking the clothing from Seraxa.

"You proved yourself one of us today." The war chief stated boldly, and Taylor's jaw dropped, as he stared up at her in surprise. She smiled, a tiny curve of the lips which entirely changed her normally fierce expression to something warm. "This is the honoured attire, of a Vaanti warrior hero." She explained quietly, nodding as she pushed it into his arms gently. "You have earned it."

Taylor looked down at the clothing, his fingers lightly tracing the material as he swallowed thickly, his heart swelling with affection. "I-"

"You may change into them in here, if you wish." Seraxa offered, drawing aside the curtain of a small hut and holding it out of his way. He glanced at Jake uncertainly, who smirked and gestured towards the hut with his chin.

"Kinda wanna see what they've given ya," he said simply, his clear eyes glittering with amusement. "Need a hand?" He asked, and Taylor laughed suddenly, his cheeks flushing as Jake's eyes ran over him suggestively.

"I uh, I think I'll manage this once..." He snickered, as the group around them gave a collective sigh of relief.

"Hey, I'm gonna preemptively tell  _all_  of ya, to shut up." The pilot grumbled, folding his arms over his chest and sulking as Taylor stepped into the hut, the curtain falling closed behind him.

In the privacy of the s dwelling, he allowed his amused grin to falter, swallowing heavily against the guilt in his heart _. They're giving me this in honour... But it's because of me that Ximaedra_... He shook his head, forcing the thoughts away with a sigh, as he carefully set the clothes on a table and stripped out of his wet clothes. He folded them roughly and stuffed them straight into his bag, an extra layer to hide the idols within. He took a deep breath, and picked up the Vaanti gear, laughing when he saw it was nothing more than a necklace and what appeared to be a pair of shorts. He stepped into them with a snigger, carefully adjusting the folds of fabric so it appeared almost like a skirt.  _Oh, Jake is gonna find this hilarious_... He thought, snorting with amusement as he linked the necklace behind his neck. He grabbed his bag, and headed through the curtain, grinning broadly as he stepped out into the sunlight.

"Impressive." Seraxa approved, her eyes running over him appreciatively. "You do not do the uniform as much shame as I anticipated." She said thoughtfully, as Taylor laughed.

 _"That's_  probably the nicest thing you've ever said." He chuckled, as the green woman smirked at him.

"Top five, certainly." She said flatly, causing him to laugh even harder at her serious expression. "There are ceremonial tattoos that go with the outfit, should you-"

"Oh... um, I'm good for now, thankyou..!" He said quickly, cover his his mouth with his hand as he tried to control his tapering giggles. "I have very firm ideas of what I should and shouldn't get permanently etched into my skin." He sniggered, wrinkling his nose in amusement at his private thoughts.

 _"Wow."_  Michelle gasped, as she walked over with Sean. "Lookin' good, Taylor!" She praised, beaming a wide grin at him.

 _"Whaaa,_  Taylor looks so cool!" Raj cried, pouting as he turned to Seraxa. "How come I don't get one?"

"Because  _you_  are not yet a hero of the Vaanti people." She replied flatly, her brow raising as if her reply should have been obvious.

"Come on, dude!" Raj whined pitifully, his eyes wide as he pleaded with the green woman. "I flew a glider right into that thing's  _mouth!"_

"On purpose?" Seraxa asked, folding her arms over her chest and eyeing him knowingly.

Raj huffed, turning away and pointdly not answering the war chief. "Whatever," he sulked, sniffing in faux disdain. "I'll just make my  _own_  hero clothes."

"You will  _not."_  Seraxa growled ferociously, her eyes narrowing to slits as she glared at the large boy.

Raj turned back to her with a broad grin, wiggling his eyes rows as he set his hand on his hip. " _Watch me."_  He said smugly, as Taylor laughed at the pairs exchange.

 _"Ahem..."_  Seraxa said, clearing her throat as she turned back to Taylor, giving up on reasoning with Raj. "There is one more thing I must give you Catalyst, and this... I must insist." She said, her expression serious as she raised her arm and stepped aside. "Please. Follow me." She said, raising her eyes to meet Taylor's as the others made to come with him.  _"Alone."_

"Um...  _Okay."_  He said hesitantly, biting his lip as he followed Seraxa along a winding tree path, and up a narrow flight of stairs, to find himself in a small outdoor grove; where a steaming, sumptuous meal had been laid out on a small table.

 _"Surprise!"_  Taari yelled loudly, giggling at Taylor's extremely surprised expression.

"What... What is-" he stammered, looking around the area with wide eyes."

"In our culture, when one saves the life of another, that debt must be repaid." Seraxa explained, gesturing towards the food before them. "First a feast... then a great gift."

"You saved me!" Taari cheered gleefully, his eyes full of pride to have been saved by an infamous Catalyst of legend. "So, we feed you!"

"Oh, I... I mean, I didn't do it  _for_  anything..." Taylor stammered uneasily, sweating faintly as he glanced between them and the food. "You don't have to-"

"It would be a great dishonour, if you were to decline..." Seraxa murmured knowingly, her lips twitching with a barely repressed smirk.

Taylor huffed in amusement, looking down as Taari wrapped his arms around his waist in a sudden, grateful hug. "Well then, I'd be happy to eat!" He said, grinning at the two as Taari released him, and pulled up a seat at the heavily loaded table. Several kittens, their fur hot pink and blue, paced around him and nuzzled his feet as they purred. "You're a big cat person then, huh?" Taylor asked, glancing up at Seraxa as he helps himself to some of the mouth watering food before them.

"I've long found that cats make the best companions." Seraxa replied hesitantly, and Taylor raised a brow at her stiff response.

"They're her only friends!" Taari said, giggling wildly as Taylor ducked his head and grabbed some fish and crab from a delicious smelling plate in front of him, stuffing some into his mouth quickly to keep himself from laughing. He groaned at the delicious taste, shaking his head as he compared it to the giant crab they'd cooked and eaten on the way to the observatory.

 _"Taari!"_  Seraxa scolded, glaring at the child with an irritated expression, though Taylor could see it was already fading.

"It's true!" Taari countered, utterly unfazed by the war chiefs fierce gaze. Taylor chuckled, reaching down to scratch behind one of the kittens ears. He gasped quietly, staring in awe, when its fur began changing colours as it purred happily.

Seraxa rolled her eyes at the child, though her expression softened somewhat, as she reached for a bowl of what looked like a berry salad. She offered him a goblet of drink, which he gratefully accepted. He raised the goblet to his lips and took a tentative sip, only to groan at the perfect cocktail. It was sweet and fruity, with hints of cinnamon and cream, and it spread right down to his toes with a gentle warmth. "Oh... oh  _wow..."_  He gasped, a wide smile forming as he took another sip.

"We call that the Breath of the Moon." Seraxa said, grinning as she popped a berry into her mouth. "Go gentle on it, because it can be deceptively strong."

"Oh man, Jake would  _love_  this..." He sniggered, before frowning suddenly, realising the pilot hadn't commented on his new clothes at all before he'd been whisked away by Seraxa. "But, promise me you'll never tell Raj about this." He said, recovering his equilibrium quickly. "He couldn't handle it." He sniggered, grinning widely as he took another small sip.

"When Seraxa drinks too much of it, she does silly dances and sings with her cats!" Taari said in a rush, giggling as Seraxa choked on her berries.

"I... I do no such..." The green war chief atuttered, her eyes wide as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I mean..."

"You're secret's safe with me." Taylor snorted, thinking back to the last time he'd been inebriated, back at The Celestial. He laughed, as he ate and chatted with the two fondly, sipping more of his drink on occasion to wash down the amazing food. After the plates were finally cleared, he slumped back in his chair, full to the brim; with good food, good drink, and good companionship. "Okay,  _that..._  was incredible." He said, beaming a wide grin at the giggling child opposite him.

"I am happy to have you." Seraxa admitted with a small, almost shy smile. "After what you did for Taari... I, consider you kin." She confessed quietly, as Taylor stared at her, his jaw dropping in surprise.

"Are you two going to get married?!" Taari burst suddenly, practically wriggling in his excitement, as Taylor choked violently on his drink. "Is the Cat-a-liss going to be my new daddy?!" He asked rapidly, as Taylor flushed a deep shade of crimson and tried to regain his breath. "Are you gonna  _kiiiissssss..?"_

"No!" Seraxa cried, her eyes wide as she flushed a deep shade of red herself. "I mean... I...  _Ahem!"_  Taylor choked even harder, suddenly overwhelmed by discomfort as the war chief turned away, her flushed cheeks blazing. "The feast was part of your reward." Seraxa said , firmly changing the subject, though Taylor was still left feeling distinctly overwhelmed by his unease. "I also offer you; a great gift." She turned around, and pulled out her obsidian blade, flicking it around and offering it to Taylor; hilt first.

Taylor released a deep sigh of relief, having been truly concerned she was about to offer something more unconventional as a reward. He reached out to tentatively take the blade, frowning as he finally felt his embarrassment fade beneath his confusion. "Your dagger?" He asked, looking up at her curiously. "Why... are you giving this to me?" He asked uncertainly.

"Because I owe you a blood oath now." The war chief explained, gesturing toward the giggling child opposite him. "At great risk to your own life, you saved Taari, who I cherish like my own life."

Taylor felt his heart melt, and he ran his hand over the blade gently as he looked back at her. "Thank you, Seraxa. But, I want you to know that you don't owe me  _anything_  for what I did... I didn't do it for you to owe me, only because I wanted to. Because it was right." He said, as Seraxa awkwardly bowed to him.

"I don't think I've  _ever_  seen Seraxa bow to anyone!" Taari cried, his amusement palpable, as Taylor looked down at the gift with a soft smile.

 _Seraxa's Oath Blade_... He thought fondly, naming the blade in recognition of its importance. He set it in his bag, careful not to reveal the idols hidden within.

"Hmm, do not become accustomed to it." Seraxa grumbled, as Taylor closed his bag and smiled at the Vaanti.

"Thank you, Seraxa.  _Really."_  He said, beaming at the green woman and the giggling child in equal measure.

"No." Seraxa declared, shaking her head meaningfully. "Thank  _you."_  She said firmly before pushing to her feet. "Now come, we must return for the coronation." She said, as Taylor and Taari both rose from the table and fell into step behind her.

She led them quickly back through the village, and before Taylor knew it, he was rejoining the others in the throne room. Sunlight poured in from holes left in the trunk, by Cetus's great teeth. Varyyn was sat on the throne, tapping his feet nervously.

Diego caught his anxiousness, and smiled warmly. "Relax." He said, beaming at the Vaanti as he practically oozed confidence. "This is going to be just like the ending of _A New Hope_ ; where they all get medals and smile at each other."

 _"A New Hope_... this is, one of your stories?" Varyyn asked, his attention shifting gratefully ro the distraction Diego provided.

"Uh, it's the  _best_  one?" Diego acoffed, rolling his eyes in dramatic emphasis. "Okay, so like, a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away..." He began eagerly, only to trail off suddenly when Uqzhaal entered the chamber, carrying a new crown. The room fell silent.

Taylor jumped, as beside him, Jake reached down and squeezed his hand. He looked up to meet the pilots heated gaze, as Jake's eyes ran over him appreciatively. "I  _like_  this." He said simply, as he flashed a mischievous, crooked grin down at him.

Taylor glanced down, remembering Jake's lack of response earlier, and he flushed pink at Jake's simple praise. "The outfit?" He asked innocently, clarifying he wasn't missing something.

"Yeah," the pilot snickered, leaning close to brush his lips against Taylor's ear, making him shiver in hungry anticipation. "Looks easy to take off." The pilot murmured, as Taylor giggled quietly, trying not to draw attention away from Uqzhaal's slow march towards the throne. "Which  _reminds_  me..." Jake said suddenly, and Taylor bit his lip at the grin he felt against his throat. "You still commando..?" He asked in a husky whisper.

Taylor drew back, grinning, and waggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Guess you'll have to just wait to find out." He said, winking as Jake groaned and leaned his head against Taylor's shoulder.

"You are  _ridiculously_  hot, Taylor..." The pilot grumbled, pressing a lingering kiss to Taylor's bare shoulder before forcing himself to straighten beside him.  _"Goddamn,_  this better be a  _quick_  ceremony..." He groaned, his eyes roaming over Taylor freely.

"I dunno, I think I heard Seraxa say it once lasted an entire week..." Taylor said, frowning thoughtfully. He sniggered, as Jake's jaw dropped, raising his hand to his lips as he hid the huge grin forming.

"Oh, you're just..." Jake muttered darkly, narrowing his eyes as he squeezed Taylor's hand tightly. "You're payin' for that one later." He promised, scowling at Taylor as he merely giggled at the pilot.

"Hmm," Taylor hummed, grinning broadly as he squeezed the pilots hand back and nudged him with his shoulder. "I'll hold you to that." He murmured lowly, biting his lip, as the pilot winked at him in promise.

"And so," Uqzhaal called, making them start guiltily, as he addressed the chamber. "The cycle renews! Just as all life begins, and ends on Vaanu, the hope of all Vaanti; rests on the shoulders, of our Elyyshar." He said formally, as he reverently placed a crown adorned with vibrant red feathers, upon Varyyn's head. "Rise now, Elyyshar Varyyn." Varyyn swallowed heavily and rose slowly, gazing around the room in obvious but silent discomfort, as the Vaanti brought themselves to their knees before him.

"Ha ha! Yeah!" Raj boomed suddenly, disturbing the reverent silence in the chamber as he cheered Varyyn with a wide grin. "Go V-Dog!" He called, applauding enthusiastically as several masked faces swivelled towards him. "Oh... You guys, don't do clapping..." The large boy said slowly, as he faltered, and lowered his hands.  _"Whooooops."_

"We have much to answer for." Varyyn said calmly, his voice carrying through the hall clearly. "We have caused great harm to each other..." He said, his eyes falling to Diego briefly, as Diego smiled shyly back at him. He searched the room, and found Taylor, tipping his head towards him faintly as Taylor squeezed Jake's hand and nodded discreetly. "But now, we move forward  _together._  Catalyst, and Vaanti; side by side..." He said hopefully, as Taylor smiled warmly, the hope and determination in his chest blooming into a brighter flame. "The hope of our people does not depend on me... Nor, is it determined by any one individual. It is the product of  _all_  who are gathered here!" He said, spreading his arms to gesture around the chamber collectively. "Because of every one of us, Elyys'tel persists. We must  _never_  forget that."

The Vaanti nodded in somber silence, until Taari suddenly began clapping. Taylor bit his lip guiltily as Seraxa rolled her eyes, sniggering at Taari's innocent giggling, before freeing his hand from Jake's so he could join in the childs applause.  _"Wooooo,_  Varyyn!" He cheered, as Diego laughed and joined in himself, while Jake snorted beside him and stubbornly folded his arms over his chest. After a moments pause, Seraxa joined in, and was quickly followed by more Vaanti. Soon the audience hall was overtaken in riotous applause, and over the din, Taylor could just make out Seraxa speaking to Uqzhaal.

"I still don't know, Uqzhaal..." The green skinned woman fretted, glancing around those nearby to make sure they didn't overhear them. "Do you really trust the boy to lead us through Raan'losti?"

"He's off to quite a start..." Uqzhaal chuckled, glancing around the hall at the various degrees of applauding Vaanti. "Though, the greatest storm yet lies ahead."

Taylor frowned, glancing over at Varyyn thoughtfully, surprised that the pair were doubtful after such a moving speech from their new Elyyshar. He felt Jake's hand slip into his own and he turned, smiling at the pilot softly as Jake tugged him closer. "Quit earwiggin'." He chuckled, as Taylor wrinkled his nose at him playfully.

"That phrase is gross." He said, as Jake's thumb gently rubbed over the back of his hand, a quiet huff of laughter escaping him.

"Yeah, I always thought so too. Works though." The pilot said, shrugging his shoulders as he walked Taylor slowly around the edge of the room. They filed out of the throne room together, only to spot Quinn sitting nearby and Taylor pressed a quick kiss to the pilots hand, before moving away; leaving Jake to head down to the lower platform alone.

Taylor smiled back at him, before heading over to Quinn, where she sat on a bridge; her legs dangling over the edge, as she looked out at the infinite sea. "Quinn..." He said warmly, taking a seat beside her as he looked out at the ocean with a deep sigh.

"Oh!" She giggled, jumping slightly in surprise, as she beamed a great grin up at him. "I'm glad it's you."

"We did it, Quinn!" He said, grinning as he looked at all the Vaanti scurrying about on the platforms below them. "We saved the day! Can you believe it?" He asked, wincing slightly as he deliberately avoided mentioning his guilty told in the destruction and loss which had occurred.

"As a matter of fact, I can." The redhead said quietly, her expression serious as she peered over at him at him fondly.

"Really?" He asked, scratching the back of his neck in awkward embarrassment, as he felt a light tugging sensation stir in his mind.

"Yeah." She said quietly, her clear eyes locking onto him intently. "Because of  _you,_  Taylor." She said, smiling over st him as her eyes glittered with affectionate tears. "More than this place, more than everything that's happened to us..." She said, shaking her head in awe of the things they'd seen. "It's  _you_  that makes me believe in the impossible."

Taylor felt his stomach drop, his memories tugging more insistently, reminding him; he'd been here before. He frowned, trying to recall what memory was attempting to overwhelm him. "Hmm, good... 'cause we still have a long way to go yet..." He hummed vaguely, as he scratched his head in frustration.

"Not me." Quinn said quietly, with calm certainty. Suddenly it hit him, the realization leaving him gasping as he finally pieced together where he'd found the memory before; when he touched the mermaid idol with Quinn.

"Quinn?" He called urgently, taking her shoulders and forcing her to look at him, finding only a calm resignation in her clear gaze. "Quinn, stay with me. Something  _really_  bad is about to happen, but I need you to fight it 'kay?" He said firmly, as Quinn chuckled dryly and shifted in his hold so she could lean against him and gaze out at the horizon. " _Jake! Get Michelle_!" Taylor yelled desperately, turning his frantic gaze to the pilot, who was walking away on the platform below him, but turned suddenly at the sound of his voice. The pilot raced back the way he'd left, retracing his steps to try and find the med student.

Tearing up, Quinn's eyes shone like the sea beneath the sun. "Everyone fights so hard to have some as in their own life... to have some control over themselves." The redhead sighed, relaxing against Taylor as she grew weaker.

"Quinn,  _no!"_  Taylor cried, bringing his legs up from the bridge and drawing her into his arms. "You can't let this happen!" He demanded, his eyes stinging and his vision blurring, as he looked around desperately for anything that might help. When his search came up empty, he squeezed his eyes shut briefly, before looking down at Quinn brokenly. "Quinn,  _please..._  I didn't have time to change it yet..!"

"But, in the end..." Quinn continued determinedly, her chest fluttering weakly as her breathing became laboured. "All we, really have control over... is whether we appreciated what we had."

 _"Jake!"_  Taylor screamed desperately, his eyes frantic as he searched for the pilot and the blonde, but finding neither before he looked down and took Quinn's hand in his own. "Shh... save your energy... Michelle's coming, she'll fix you." He promised brokenly, empty words he knew neither of them believed.

"And... I do... now..." Quinn murmured, utterly ignorant of Taylor's reassurance's, as she continued her own train of thought. Her words grew softer, as her eyelids fluttered, barely staying open. Her voice became little more than a whisper, as Taylor hung his head and wept in silent agony.

"Please, Quinn...  _Please_  don't..." He pleaded in a broken murmur, brushing her hair fave. "Please don't leave me... leave us..."

"And when... you finally make it..." Quinn gasped, her eyelids cracking to meet his gaze in apology. "To the other side..." She said, her throat constricting before she could finish.

 _"Jake!"_  Taylor bellowed at the top of his lungs, desperately peering around for anyone who could help. " _Jake! Michelle! **...Someone!**  Help!"_

"You'll... be the queen..." Quinn whispered determinedly, her eyed fluttering closed against her will, as she leaned heavily against Taylor's chest. "You... always carried..."

"... inside you..." Taylor choked, his voice breaking as Quinn fell limp in his arms. He hung his head as he rocked them gently, squeezing his eyes closed as guilt and grief swarmed his heart.

 _"Quinn..."_  He pleaded quietly, as her breath came slower, and slower. He shook his head in denial, a sob escaping him as he silently wept for the vibrant and life loving girl; who now laid still, and vacant in his lap.


	7. Interim 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok.. filler time, so I guess kinda skippable if you wanna... as there's only a little about this which is different. I more include it so everyone can get a full feel for it - in case some haven't collected all the clues etc...  
> anyway, new main chapter has been started and I hope to have it up by the weekend, if I cant get it done before then!
> 
> as always, thankyou so much for reading!
> 
> x My love to you all x

_**Dear Jake;** _

_I know, I know... Not everything is something I can control, or prevent, or protect everyone from._

_Just because you're right, doesn't mean I have to like it... Or that you're allowed to wear that ridiculously smug expression you get whenever I admit it._

_I guess I should just be pleased I've learned the truth of everything that happened while we were chasing around trying to save our loved ones... But, still... It sucks._

**7.**

**Six months ago...**

Uqzhaal leaned on his staff outside of The Celestial hotel. Beside him, the war chief Seraxa, folded her arms over her chest in blatant a show of irritation. Two warriors jogged over to the high advisors, bowing to each before offering their reports.

" **Still nothing, War Chief.** " A female said, her owl mask hiding her face as she spoke.

" **No sign of them.**.." The male with her confirmed. " **Or, our brothers and sisters we lost.** " He added reluctantly.

With a curt nod, Seraxa dismissed them both, turning towards the shaman with a frustrated shake of her head. " **It's time to call off the hunt, old man.** " She said firmly.

 **"But-"**  Uqzhaal floundered, his crimson eyes widening as he glanced around helplessly. " **We must keep searching!** " He insisted pleadingly.

" **It has been two weeks**!" Seraxa growled, her irritation clear in her ferocious scowl. " **The Catalysts have vanished from this realm of existence. You have one of them back at Elyys'tel... That should suffice**." She sneered, turning away from the shaman.

" **Have you forgotten all I taught you as a child, Seraxa?** " Uqzhaal inquired, his eyes sad as he shook his head despondently. " **We cannot prevent Raan'losti without _all_  of the Catalysts! They are a unit! A  _family!_** _"_  He growled, his expression morphing seamlessly into a frustrated glare.

In a flash of movement, Seraxa spun towards the shaman, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him up.  _" **Enough**_ **of your delusions**!" She growled fiercely, scowling up at the shaman's wide eyed expression. " **I will not waste my warriors on your chase, while real dangers grow every day!** " She snarled, as Uqzhaal choked beneath her tight grasp. " **I serve at the pleasure of Ximaedra. She still believes your fairy tales, for some reason... But she is old; like _you._  Pray that  _you_  die, before  _she_  does**." Seraxa said, her voice thick with dark promise, as her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.  **"For when she goes, your dogma's paralyzing place in our society goes with her; as it should have, after the Three Tribes' War.** " She scoffed, dropping him carelessly to the pavement, before walking off. She barked several commands, ordering her scouts to follow her, and return to Elyys'tel.

" ** _Hff... hff..."_  **Uqzhaal wheezed, as he pushed himself to his feet with the help of his cane.  **"I... must seek.. The Endless...** " He puffed, as he turned and wandered further away from Elyys'tel, moving into the jungle behind The Celestial.

Over several days and as many nights, Uqzhaal walked deep into the islands center, stopping often to rest his joints and his old, creaking bones. Finally, he hiked to the peak of the great volcano, Mount Atropo. He peered into the blinding light of the giant crater, before closing his eyes and whispering a prayer. " **Oh, Endless One, who walks amongst the branches of time, please... Speak to me."**

There was no sound, save the wind blowing briskly around him. Uqzhaal heard his own voice crack from anguish. " **We need your guidance..**." The shaman pleaded, clasping his hands together before him. " **I... need your guidance."**  He confessed quietly, his old heart racing in fear as he waited...

waited...

And waited... only to hear no answer.  **"No..."**  Uqzhaal gasped, as his knees gave out and he collapsed, bent over on to all fours. Tears streamed like rivers, through the deep wrinkles on his cheeks.  **"I am so alone... I know not what I seek. I know not what I do... It has been two years since you last came to us. Please... _Please..._** _"_

" **Do not despair, Uqzhaal**." Came a mechanical sounding reply, at last. Uqzhaal opened his eyes to find a pair of red boots, standing on the rock before him.

He looked up, his expression both awed and relieved. " **You have come.** " He said, his old face blossoming into a joyous grin.

The crimson clad figure spoke in perfect Vaanti, as they stood stoically before him, their mechanical arm seemingly controlling a ball of flame. " **Save your tears, shaman. There is still work to be done.** " They said, as they slowly turned aside.

" **But the Catalysts**..." Uqzhaal explained quickly, his eyes wide as he tried to scrape the words together. " **I don't know how to find them!"**  He cried in despair, clutching his cane tightly in his hands, as he pushed himself to his feet.

" **You won't have to."**  The Endless assured confidently, and Uqzhaal almost thought they sounded amused.

 **"What? I don't understand** -" Uqzhaal said, shaking his head as he frowned at the slowly moving red figure.

" **They will come to you.** " The Endless explained calmly, their heavy footfalls seeming loud on the otherwise quiet, volcanic peak.

 **"You have foreseen this**?" Uqzhaal asked desperately, his crimson eyes alight with a hope he had not felt in weeks.

" **I have foreseen all things**." The Endless sighed, and if Uqzhaal hadn't been so focused on his own blooming joy, he might have noticed the despondent sadness to the mechanically voiced reply.

 **"Oh, thank you, Endless One**!" The shaman said, shedding tears of joy as The Endless slowly walked away. " **Our people's thanks upon you** -" He said, bending down to bow briefly at the red figure, however; when he arose, he found himself alone.

The Endless, was gone.

**Meanwhile, present day; at the La Huerta Observatory...**

Rourke paced under fluorescent lights, hands in his pockets as he frowned thoughtfully. "Tell me about our guests."

"As expected, following the protocol..." Iris explained, a sad frown twisting her face as her eyes flashed, scanning records she had previously been cut off from; before she'd been 'updated'. "All of the hotels guests, were ushered into  **MASADA**  pods, as soon as the timequake began.

"And the results?" Rourke demanded, striding purposefully back and forth along the floor, his shoes clicking steadily.

"Just a two percent failure rate..." Iris said bitterly, throwing a contemptful glare towards the well suited man. "On the low end of estimates."

"They're fortunate to be alive at all." Rourke sneered dismissively, tapping at the nearby computer console, as Iris's face fell. "What's the matter? Are you malfunctioning?" He asked curiously, but understanding soon settled in, as the A.I. averted her gaze. "Ah,  _Aleister."_  He chuckled, his fingers gliding over the console as he resumed his pacing. "Never fear, Iris. Your memory may have been wiped recently, but I never forget a thing." He chuckled, beaming a smug and superior grin across the room at her.

"There's something else, Everett." Iris admitted reluctantly, her blue features twisting into a grimace as she was compelled by the directive to tell her master everything. "Something I think you should see... about one of the guests."

"Show me." Rourke demanded instantly, as Iris's drone set about projecting a wall of light. A personnel file shimmered in a holographic display, a d Rourke stepped closer with a small frown, as he read through it.

"Oh  _my..!"_  He gasped, his eyes widening in surprise as he looked over at Iris for confirmation. "That name... One and the same..?"

"Indeed." Iris said reluctantly, nodding her head almost imperceptibly. "It's him."

"Then how did we  _not_  know he was here?!" Rourke demanded, gritting his teeth together as he looked back at the file.

"He was checked into The Celestial under an alias." Iris explained, bringing up the hotel login details. "But, DNA has confirmed it."

"Then..." Rourke breathed, running a hand carefully over his immaculate hair, as he stared on bafflement at the display before him. "What in  _God's_  name is he doing here?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Iris snarked in irritation, her blue hologram scowling over at Rourke resentfully, wondering how her young group of friends were managing. She hoped they were safe, somewhere far from where Rourke could reach them; yet.

"Right as always, dear." Rourke chuckled, straightening his jacket by the lapels, either oblivious of Iris's irritation or choosing to ignoring it. "Let's wake him up... And put on a fresh pot." He said, smirking thoughtfully as he scratched his carefully maintained goatee.

Iris reluctantly complied to the demand as she set to work, and several minutes later, a dark skinned, muscular and grizzled man limped through the door in his underwear. The first thing he sees, is Rourke; sitting with his legs crossed at the knee, smiling at him. "... You got  _five_  seconds, to tell me who the  _hell_  you are." The man growled, glaring at Rourke as he cracked his knuckles.

"Coffee first?" Rourke asked innocently, ignoring the other mans furious glare. "It's Colombian.  _Exquisite."_

 _"Four..."_  The man growled, utterly unimpressed by Rourke's display or offer.

"Very well." Rourke sighed, rolling his eyes at the mans dramatic display. "Who am I?" He repeated, smirking broadly at the dark skinned man. "Why, Commander Lundgren...  _I'm_  your new employer." He said smugly, flashing a cocky grin to the other man.

"Careful." Lundgren warned, a tiny but no less malicious curl to his lips. "You don't know me, amigo... You don't  _want_  to know me." He said darkly, sniffing disdainfully as hw folded his thick arms over his chest. "And I sure as sweet hell don't work for you."

"You will," Rourke said confidently, grinning as he calmly took a small sip of coffee. "Once you find out what I can offer."

"I've got covert contacts with about two dozen governments, and enough money and guns to last a lifetime..." Lundgren bragged smugly, scoffing at Rourke's smug countenance, as the suited man calmly watched him. "So, I don't think there's anything you can-"

" _Jake McKenzie_." Rourke said smugly, slowly pushing to his feet. He slipped his hands into his trouser pockets, his jacket rising over them. "Work for me, and he's all yours." Rourke promised, as Lundgren fell silent.

After several long seconds of contemplation, the dark skinned man shrugged, the grin curling his lips growing. "Alright then... 'boss.'" He said, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "I'm listening."

"Good." Rourke said, immediately clapping his hands together and moving towards the door. "We begin right away." He added, striding past Lundgren quickly.

 _"That's_  what I like to hear." Lundgren chuckled darkly, as he turned to follow, only to stop briefly. "Oh, and... one more thing..." He said, his grin turning feral as Rourke paused and glanced back at him. "I brought  _friends."_


	8. Everything At Once

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have this weird feeling this chapter doesnt flow rught :'(  
> So girst off, sorry about that!
> 
> I am however pleased how well it all came together :) and our lovelies get to have a little relax next chapter so, im looking to sone nice fun in the sun! Right before the drama kicks in again! Heehee!!
> 
> I wanna thank each and every one of you wonderful people who reads and comments and enjoys this! My heart is filled with joy, because of you...
> 
> x My love to you all x

_**Dear Jake;** _

_Thinking I'd failed so utterly... Not gonna lie. That sucked. I can't even begin to explain how much._

_Knowing you guys had died, that i couldn't save you before... It's a weird kind of pain, because I can deal with it; after all, I have this fresh slate, right? I know it hasn't happened yet. But then she... And I couldn't stop it. I think the only thing you could personally compare it to is how you felt when-_

_But, that's not the point._

_The point is... I failed. And, a part of me was never going to forgive myself for that... Until you made me realize, I didn't need to._

**8.**

**Everything At Once.**

_"Taylor!"_  Jake cried, as the sound of several footfalls sounded behind him. He shook his head, his arms wrapped protectively around Quinn, as the pilot skidded to a halt on his knees beside him; his clear eyes clouded with grief, as they quickly ran over first Quinn, and then Taylor. "Taylor, I need you to let Maybelline take a look at her... C'mon..." He said, easing Quinn free of Taylors embrace and laying her carefully on a wooden platform, so Michelle could hurriedly examine her. He immediately turned his attention to Taylor, who had wrapped his arms around himself and collapsed in his guilty grief. "C'mere, it's okay, Taylor... I got you... I  _got_  you."

Taylor melted into the pilots arms, allowing himself to fall apart as Michelle checked Quinn over desperately.  _"Jake..._  I couldn't stop it..!" He gasped, between huge gulps for breath and ragged, choking sobs. "Why did I see it, if I cant stop it..?!" He rambled, as Jake ran his fingers through his hair soothingly, and held him tightly against his chest. "I'm supposed to stop it..!  _Why couldn't I stop it_?! I didnt have enough  _time!"_  He cried, burying his face in the pilots chest and trying to force away the image of Quinn's lifeless body. He drew back suddenly, his eyes wide as panic struck his heart. "Jake...  _Jake!_  if I can't stop it-" he began, his breath hitching in rapid hiccups, as he was overwhelmed by his fear of the vision within his own idol.

"Shh, shh; look at me..." Jake said, cupping Taylors face with both hands. "Breathe with me,  _just_  breathe. Nothin' else, just breathe." The pilot ordered firmly, demonstrating deep breaths that Taylor could barely bring himself to focus on.

"But, Jake-"

 _"Breathe."_  Jake insisted, brushing his thumbs across his cheeks lightly, as his clear eyes focused on Taylor entirely. "Breathe, Boy Scout... breathe for  _me..."_  He murmured encouragingly, as Taylor stared I to his eyes and tried to take deep, calming breaths.

As air finally flooded through his system, Taylor managed to organise his thoughts into slightly more coherent statements, though his throat still constricted painfully; with both grief, and guilt.  _"Jake..."_  He whispered brokenly, and the pilot visibly sagged with relief at the tentative curl of Taylors fingers in his jacket. "Jake, why couldn't I-"

"Taylor, this is  _not_  your fault." Jake said fiercely, his fingers caressing Taylors cheeks reassuringly. "Red would say the same damn thing, this is just... A  _really_  shitty thing." Jake said, glancing to where a crowd was beginning to pour out of the audience hall, following Varyyn's coronation. The rest of their friends came running over, crowding around them in concern, but still giving them some space.

"She just collapsed..! And I..." Taylor stammered, closing his eyes as he took another deep breath. "I don't know... I couldn't do anything..." He whispered brokenly, leaning his head against Jake's chest, as the pilot wrapped himself around Taylor.

"It's  _not_  your fault..." Jake repeated lowly, murmuring in his ear before he pressed reassuring kisses to the back of Taylors neck and shoulder.

"But the Catalyst sho-"

"Taylor, those damn things don't exactly come with a manual..." Jake scoffed, shaking his head as he ran his hands over Taylors sides. "You had no way of knowin' it was so soon... It coulda happened  _any_  time..." Taylor tensed, and Jake swore as he seemed to realise what he'd said. "Shit, no! No, don't even think it! Taylor, that's not what I-"

"But it's true." Taylor said, raising his eyes to meet Jake's with a hollow sense of defeat in his chest. "Whether you meant it or not... It's true. It could happen any time." He sighed, looking up at the clear sky above them, as despondent tears roles down his cheeks. "Hell, I could be burying you all tomorrow." He muttered with a scoff, shaking his head as he tried to pull away from the pilot and push to his feet.

"Taylor, that  _ain't_  gonna happen!" Jake growled fiercely, refusing to let him get up and leave. "I  _won't_  let it!" He promised, as Taylor turned his blank, disbelieving face towards him. "I ain't gonna let that happen to you!" Taylor blinked, his brow slowly creasing into a frown, as he met the pilots fierce glare. Despite the utter devastation and guilt he felt in his heart, he couldn't help the tiny bubble of hope which rose in the back of his mind, at the determination in the pilots gaze and tone. "Maybe you had to handle everythin' alone before... But ya  _not_  alone anymore, Taylor." Jake said imploringly, slowly drawing him closer once more. "Ya not alone." He repeated, as Taylor swallowed heavily and dug his fingers into the pilots shoulder.

 _"Jake..."_  He whispered, his voice breaking as hope and grief collided, bringing fresh tears to his eyes as he stared at his pilot brokenly.

"I know, Boy Scout." Jake said, nodding as he stroked his cheek. "I know." He repeated, before pressing their lips together in a brief gesture of strength and determination. "I got you." The pilot whispered, drawing back to rest their foreheads together, as Michelle finally completed her analysis of Quinn's condition.

"It's the final stage of her Rotterdam's..." The blonde said, tearing up as she finally sat back, her hand clasped around Quinn's gently. "A coma." She looked up at Furball, as the little fox nudged Quinn gently with his nose, trying to wake her.

"I don't understand," Sean said, shaking his head in disbelief, as he moved over to Michelle to rest his hand on her shoulder in comfort. "She said she had months left to live!"

"Six months..." Taylor said, looking up at the athlete with red rimmed eyes. "She had six months... before we went through the portal." He clarified, as the group all looked over at Quinn with varying expressions of guilt and concern.

"Coming through the portal seemed to affect her harder than the rest of us..." Michelle confirmed, shaking her head at the realization. "Her body must have been trying to catch up to the lost time. Deteriorating much faster than she was able to compensate for...  _Dammit,_  I should have realised sooner..!" The blonde said, her hands curling into fists on her knees.

"Michelle, you couldn't have known-" Taylor began, only to break off abruptly at Jake's sharp snort. He looked up to find the pilot glaring at him, a brow raised pointedly. Taylor bit his lip and averted his gaze, unable to find the words to explain that the guilt he felt was different to Michelle's. She hadn't already forseen Quinn's death in the idol.

"I should have worked it out, I've been treating her!" The blonde growled, as she shook her head and looked down at Quinn in distress. "If we lost all that time, and she's just caught up to it... She might only have a few hours left..."

 _"No..!"_  Taylor gasped, his face crumpling as Jake firmly rubbed his shoulders and drew him closer, both offering him comfort and drawing his own.

"The vine that had intertwined with her branches, has woefully pulled her down." Uqzhaal said mournfully, as he hobbled over. Taylor grit his teeth, pulling away from Jake's embrace as he turned a glare towards the old shaman. "I grieve for your loss, Catalysts." He said, as Taylor tensed, his grief swirling tightly to form a coil of white hot rage in his heart.

"I did not know of her illness..." Seraxa said, her face falling as she beheld the still form of Quinn. "I am sorry."

"You're  _'sorry'?"_  Taylor bit out, ignoring Jake's hand on his arm, as he pushed himself to his feet. "You ' _grieve for our loss_ '?" He spat, glaring at the old shaman, who blinked in surprise of his fury. "She's right  _fucking_  there! She laid in  _my_  arms, as the life drained from her; and now she's got only hours of life remaining! What the  _bloody hell_  do you know of our grief, old man?"

"We  _can't_  just give up..!" Grace said, as Jake wrapped his arms around Taylor from behind,gently but firmly drawing him away from the stunned shaman. "W-what about those plants? From the roof of The Celestial?"

"Even diluted into water, they can't heal a disease like this... The syndrome's a part of her genetic physiology, not something superficial, or a recently wound..." Michelle explained, shaking her head sadly.

"Varyyn,  _please..."_  Diego begged, gripping the new Elyyshar's hand tightly between his own. "You  _have_  to help us."

Varyyn glanced down at his hand, trapped between Diego's, and he swallowed thickly as he turned to Uqzhaal. "There must be  _something_  we can do..?" He asked the shaman, who bowed his head solemnly.

"There is...  _one_  possibility." The shaman confessed, tilting his head thoughtfully. "But, all of our Elyyshar's;  _including,_  your mother... have forbidden seeking it." He explained, and Varyyn hesitated, at the mention of his mother.

"You  _owe_  us!" Taylor spat, straining against Jake's arms as the pilot refused to let go of him, holding him back from doing something he knew he would later regret. "We  _saved_  your damn village!" He cried, ignoring the stab of guilt he felt, for at least partially, also being the cause.

"Hell yeah we did." Craig growled in agreement, stepping up beside Taylor with a scowl and setting a hand on his shoulder. "How about showing a little gratitude?"

"Our people are in your debt." Varyyn agreed quietly, his eyes falling on Taylor as he ceased struggling against Jake's tight hold, instead clutching at the arms around him and holding them tighter against himself. "But more than that, you're my  _friends..."_  He said, watching as Taylor sagged in sudden relief, leaning his head back on Jake's shoulder, as the pilot kissed his jaw and muttered almost inaudible reassurances to him. "We will do  _everything_  we can to heal her." Varyyn said firmly, turning to Uqzhaal and gesturing for him to continue. "Go on, Uqzhaal. As Elyyshar, I  _command_  you. Tell us everything you know."

Seraxa eyed Varyyn thoughtfully, as Uqzhaal bowed to the Vaanti leader, and leaned against his cane. "Legends speak, of a crystal of tremendous life energy, hidden somewhere in the tree of Elyys'tel." He explained, gesturing to the giant tree that sprawled throughout the Vaanti village. "Our ancestors called it; the Island's Heart." He said, and Taylor flinched at the sudden jab of pain in his head.

"Taylor-"

"I'm fine." He immediately cut Jake off, squeezing his arms reassuringly where they wrapped around his chest, and turning his face into the pilots throat briefly.

"The Heart is responsible for all of the prodigious growth, you see around you." The shaman continued, and Taylor ignored Jake's questioning gaze in favour of refocusing on the old man instead. "Its touch, is said to renew  _all_  living things."

"So, we find this Miracle-Gro or whatever, and you give it to Quinn." Craig summarized, glancing around the group briefly. "Piece of cake."

Seraxa shook her head sadly, her arms folded carefully over her chest. "The Heart exists to nurture the tree, not us." She said in warning, her eyes glowing as she turned to Taylor. "The legends warn us,  _never_  to seek it out."

"I'm afraid Seraxa is correct," Uqzhaal admitted reluctantly, scratching his long beard thoughtfully. "It's power is beyond what any one individual can command." He said with a sad shake of his head. "Besides, the Heart is... not of this reality." He explained hesitantly, glancing at Seraxa with a pointed look. "It can only be found by those who walk between dimensions."

Taylor tilted his head, something about the shaman's words catching at the back of his mind. Before he could focus on it however, it had already slipped away. "You've gotta be kidding." Zahra scoffed, scowling at the shaman in obvious irritation.

"As Catalysts, it is possible for you to enter that realm..." Uqzhaal confessed, his brows raised as he tapped his chin thoughtfully. "But, the journey would be a perilous one."

"I  _don't_  care." Taylor snapped, as Jake's arms tightened around him briefly. He glanced back, his nose trailing along the pilots throat in apology. "I'm sorry, but I'd be the same about anyone... except maybe  _you."_  He murmured, raising a brow and laughing quietly as Jake jerked away from him suddenly. "Well, you kind of mean more to me... It's not that hard to believe I'd have already lost my shit if it was you, is it?"

"Hmm," Jake muttered with a huff, his stubble tickling Taylors ear as he leaned in close once more. "Nice comeback, Boy Scout..." He said, before nipping the lobe sharply, causing Taylor to shiver and huff a small giggle.

"What Taylor means to say, is that we're not afraid of danger." Estela said, nodding at Taylor briefly.

"Um," Diego choked, his eyes wide as he stared at the dark haired girl. "Speak for yourself?"

"It is not mortal peril I speak of..." Uqzhaal explained gently, his crimson eyes filled with concern as he eyed them all in heavy speculation. "But, you may become...  _lost,_  wandering the veil for all eternity."

"Aw, just peachy." Jake sighed, releasing Taylor slowly, and shaking his head as their fingers laced together instead. "I thought there'd been no life threatenin' situations for at least five minutes..."

"You really  _don't_  know how long five minutes is, do you?" Taylor huffed, resting his head on Jake's shoulder as he drew warmth and strength from the pilot.

"Depends what I'm doin'." Jake said, and Taylor laughed at the feel of the pilots grin against his forehead.

"We've gotta do this for Quinn." Lila said, her eyes soft with a concern and compassion so genuine, Taylor was actually surprised to find he believed she had no ulterior motive. "We're her only chance."

"Can we go, now?" Taylor whined impatiently, a quiet rumble of laughter escaping Jake as he straightened to pout at everyone.

"Taylors right. No more talk." Estela said, bidding towards Uqzhaal. "Where do we find this thing?"

"We must enter the Root Burrows..." The shaman said cautiously, and at Varyyn's encouragement, he began to lead the way. "There, lies your path to the Heart." He said, as the others fell into step behind his slowly shuffling form.

Taylor hung back, Jake at his side, as they looked down at Quinn sadly. "C'mon," Jake said suddenly, releasing his hold on Taylor to crouch beside Quinn.

"What're you doing..?" Taylor asked, as he watched Jake carefully scoop Quinn into his arms and push to his feet.

"Puttin' her somewhere more comfortable." The pilot replied, gesturing to the throne room. Taylor hurried ahead, clearing a path for the pilot as he carried Quinn through the gathered crowds, into the throne room where Varyyn had only moments before been crowned Elyyshar. "It ain't The Celestial, but it'll do to keep the elements off'a her." Jake said, as he gently set her down a short way from the throne.

Taylor stared down at Quinn's motionless body, her face peaceful in her deteriorating state. He crouched down to her side, and took her hand, squeezing it gently as  _he_  raised it to his cheek. "Hang on, Quinn... Just, hang on... Please..." He said thickly, his eyes hot, and heavy with tears. "I need you to tease me, and paint more awesome portraits of me and Jake..." He whispered as he pressed a kiss to her hand, before lowering it to her chest, and glancing up at the pilot.

"Do I even wanna ask?" Jake snickered, raising a brow in curiosity as Taylor pushed to his feet and dug his phone from his pocket. He scrolled through his pictures, as Jake stepped around him and leaned over his shoulder.

"Huh," Jake breathed, his eyes locked onto the screen as Taylor held the picture up to him. "There's  _no way_  I look at him like that, Ariel." He said, pointing an accusatory finger at the motionless girl before them. "Looks like we better wake her up quick, so she can do another one." He said, and Taylor smiled softly at the pink dusting his pilots cheeks.

"I said the same thing about me..." Taylor admitted quietly, looking at the picture again himself, before locking the screen and quickly stuffing it back in his pocket.

"Nah, you  _definitely_  look at me like that." Jake said confidently, sniggering at Taylors playful jab to his ribs. "Hero worship..." He sighed smugly, wrapping his arm around Taylor waist as his jaw dropped and preventing him from moving away. "I'm okay with that." He said, feigning a weary sigh, as Taylor pouted and pointedly avoided meeting the pilots smug gaze.

"I am never sleeping with you, ever again." Taylor muttered, his cheeks flaming as Jake sniggered and hooked his fingers under Taylors chin, forcing him to look up and meet his gaze.

Jake stared down at him, fond amusement in his clear eyes, as his lips curled into the faintest hint of a smile "Hmm..." He hummed thoughtfully, as he slowly leaned down to close the distance between them. Taylor felt his heart fluttering despite his faux irritation, as the pilot grazed his lips against Taylors. "I guess she  _might've_  been on to somethin'..." The pilot muttered, as Taylors heart soared.

"You're  _not_  getting off that easy..." Taylor mumbled defiantly, his fingers toying lightly with the pilots jacket collar. Jake smirked, leaning in to plant his lips firmly against Taylors, caressing them in such an unexpectedly tender way that Taylor almost forgot to breathe. "You make a compelling argument... But, I'm still not convinced..." Taylor said breathlessly, when the pilot inched away moments later.

"Heh," Jake snorted, stepping back with obvious reluctance, as Taylor frowned and whined at the loss of contact between them. "Much as I'm lookin' forward to the challenge of findin' out if you're still commando... We best get movin'." The pilot said, lacing his hand together with Taylors and tugging him toward the door. "Raincheck til... 'bout twenty seconds after we find this Magic Mushroom."

"It is  _not_  a mushroom." Taylor sighed, rolling his eyes as he glanced back at Quinn _. See you soon, Quinn... Just hold on a little longer. We'll be back real soon_. He thought, as Jake led him out of the throne room, and they broke into a run to catch up with the others.

They met them at the bottom of the grand staircase, where Uqzhaal was leading them around to a small hidden staircase located at it's back, taking then down to a dark recess. Varyyn raised his hand to stop them, his golden eyes somber as he nodded to them both. "While you seek the Heart, I will watch over Quinn." He said quietly, as the others began to descend the final staircase.

"Thankyou, Varyyn." Taylor said, flashing him a grin, although it quickly faded. "She's... she's in your throne room." He added, as Varyyn nodded, and turned to head back up the stairs so he could watch over Quinn.

He hesitated, half turning back to them. "Good luck, Taylor. Jake..." He said, tipping his head to them before turning to resume his journey, only to hesitate once more. "Tell Diego..." He said, only to stop, standing awkwardly on the stairs as his words seemed to fail him. "Be careful." He said, and Taylor smiled despite being unsure if that was the message to give Diego, or a general warning for them all.

"Will do, Blues Clues." Jake said gruffly, offering a brief salute, before pulling Taylor after the others. Taylor bit his lip, sniggering at the pilots strange gruffness, when they ran into Seraxa, at the top of the hidden staircase.

"Good luck, Catalysts." She said sadly, shaking her head as they slipped past her. "You will need it." She sighed, folding her arms over her chest as she slowly walked away.

Taylor squeezed Jake's hand, as they proceeded down the hidden stairs, and followed the shaman through a series of dark, winding tunnels. "Uqzhaal, how much further?" Aleister demanded, after several long minutes of everyone's silent shuffling through the darkness. "Do you even  _know_  where you're taking us?"

"Patience!" The old shaman said, chuckling in the face of the pale boys frustration. "We are almost..." He said slowly, trailing off as he pointed with his staff to something up ahead of them. "...  _There!"_  He said, gesturing to the end of the tunnel, where a massive tangle of roots blocked the way. Silvery droplets fell from cracks in the wood, collecting in a small puddle.

"Uh..." Craig said, rubbing the back of his neck as he eyed the liquid distrustfully. "That's not lookin' so good... You guys might wanna get your tree checked out."

"On the contrary, the tree is quite healthy." Uqzhaal said with a gentle smile, gesturing towards the silvery droplets. "Imbibing it's sap, will allow you to enter a transcendent state, opening your eyes to the dimensions beyond those normally apparent." He said, his crimson eyes amused by the various reactions to the explanation.

 _"Whaaaat?"_  Raj boomed, clapping his hands together before pointing to himself with both thumbs. "Sign me up!" He said, beaming a giant grin around them all, as ge bustled towards the dripping roots eagerly.

"Whoa,  _whoa."_  Jake said, his eyes widening as he raised a hand in caution. "You expect all of us to drink that stuff?" He asked, as Taylor bit his lip and frowned.

"Maybe, some of us should not drink, and stay with Quinn..." He suggested, and almost laughed at the rush of relief he felt radiate from beside him. "You could stay and keep an eye on her for me, and then when I get back, we can go back to... The uh, challenge." He said, as Jake tensed beside him.

"Ya know, I knew a suggestion like that comin' from you, was too good to be true." The pilot sighed, scowling over at him as Taylor shrugged and grinned. "Ya didn't really think I was gonna let you go without me, did ya?"

"No, but anything that might keep you safe, is always worth a try." Taylor admitted quickly, as Jake snorted and shook his head in fond amusement. "Hey, at least it can't taste any worse than some of the things you've drunk in Costa Rica..." He giggled, as Jake hummed lightly in thoughtful agreement.

"The Heart is trapped between the world we know, and all other realities that converge upon this location..." Uqzhaal explained, and Taylor felt his stomach drop suddenly.

"Wait,  _what?!"_  He gasped, his eyes wide as he stared at the shaman in horror. Jake squeezed his hand, frowning at his reaction, when Taylor shook his head and began to mumble under his breath. "I... Jake, what if we see ourselves..? If we did this before..." He whispered urgently, his heart thumping painfully against his ribs, as bile crawled up his throat.

"Oh?" Uqzhaal chuckled, mistaking Taylors fear for mere shock. "Perhaps you know another way to manipulate dimensional boundaries?" He asked with a wide grin, as he shook his head in amusement.

Jake and Taylor eyes remained locked in a silent conversation, until Taylor finally lowered his gaze, and Jake sighed despondently. "Nope." He said dejectedly, as Taylor discreetly pressed himself closer to the pilots side.

Furball sniffed at the mirror hued puddle curiously, his head cocking as he peered down at the strange fluid.

"Have you tried drinking it yourself?" Taylor asked by way of distraction, attempting to lock away his concerns, and praying they wouldn't stumble across any of their alternate timelines.

"Of course." The shaman said proudly, nodding his head solemnly. "But, the sap no longer has any effect on us..." He admitted wistfully. "Our ancestors were the first to partake of it. Over time, the revelations of the sap changed our people, making us as we are today." He explained, as Taylors friends gathered their nerve around him.

"You mean the freaky deaky, skin colours and batman ears?" Raj asked, his eyes wide as his jaw dropped, staring in awe between Uqzhaal and the sap.

Uqzhaal ignored the large boy, stroking his beard thoughtfully as he ran his eyes over Taylor. "It should still work on you, however. Or so we must hope."

"You ready, Taylor?" Sean asked, his nervousness showing as he glanced over at him. Taylor balked, looking around his friends and sharing a silent look which each of them. His heart swelled almost painfully, at the realization that they were all with him.

Jake squeezed his hand, and Taylor took a deep breath, as he nodded. "Let's do it." He said, swallowing down his lingering fears and concerns, and releasing Jake's hand as he stepped toward the roots. "I'll go first." He offered, ignoring Jake's resigned sigh from behind him.

Uqzhaal untethered a silver chalice from his belt, and lowered it to scoop up some sap from the puddle. He offered it to Taylor, who accepted it gingerly, peering in to examine the strange fluid. "Alright..." He said, shaking himself as he took a deep breath. "Here we go..." He said, his hands beginning to shake as he felt his heart pound furiously. He looked up at Jake, who was watching with a resigned and nervous expression, as he bit his lip. Taylor took another deep breath, as he looked back at the liquid, before raising the cup to his lips; and taking a tentative sip.

"Dude, really?" Raj said, shaking his head sadly, as Jake's shoulders slumped in relief. "You won't even feel it from that little dose!" He complained, as Jake took the goblet from Taylor and swallowed his own sip, before passing it on.

"Better safe than sorry!" Lila said, beaming a wide grin over at Taylor, as he grimaced and shook his head at the odd taste of the sap. Simultaneously sweet and bitter, both burning and soothing; it reminded him of the cocktail Jake had made him on their first night at The Celestial, though less pleasant.

"Wow, that's..." Jake scoffed, his face twisting at the strange taste. "Not'sa bad as I thought it was gonna be..." He finished lamely, and Taylor laughed at the pilots thoughtful expression.

"Is it gross?" Diego asked nervously, his eyes darting between the two as they exchanged a brief look.

"It's actually not bad. Just..." Taylor said, frowning as he tried to find the words to describe the strange liquid.  _"Weird..._  It's almost like, it's everything, all at once." He said, as one by one, the others all took a sip for themselves. When everyone had taken a turn, they stood in the dark, looking around at each other in anticipation. "Uqzhaal... Should we uh, be feeling something..?" He asked, after several long moments of nothing happening.

"Hm..." The shaman hummed, his face falling as the Catalysts continued to have no reaction. "Perhaps... it may take a moment. The legends were... rather vague, to be honest." He confessed with a guilty chuckle.

 _"Wonderful."_  Michelle said, glowering at the shaman in irritation. "We don't even know what  _poison_  we just drank."

"Let us return to the surface..." Uqzhaal suggested hesitantly, frowning concernedly at them all. "To consult the ancient texts."

"Godammit, this is exactly why I shoulda just shut you in one of those damn huts." Jake huffed, as they waited to follow the others back through the dark passages. "Coulda got straight to the findin' out what's under that skimpy outfit..." He said, sighing as he shook his head in frustration.

Taylor laughed, taking the pilots hand and leaning forward to press a kiss to the pilots cheek. Jake hummed, turning to capture his lips in a brief but affectionate kiss, before reluctantly leading him after the others. They made their way in comfortable silence, through the winding roots of Elyys'tel, and exited through the base of the tree trunk.  _Guess they've got hidden tunnels everywhere_... Taylor thought in amusement, as the others began to mutter darkly amongst themselves.

"This crap better kick into gear." Zahra growled, tossing her hair over her shoulder in irritation. "Quinn needs us to-" Taylor wasn't sure if the girl stopped talking, or if he just lost track of her for a moment, because suddenly; his vision shattered into a million facets, filled with impossible colours, as if he were looking through some kind of kaleidoscope prism.

 _"Whoa..!"_  He breathed, his fingers clutching tightly at Jake's. He looked down, the sensation of the pilot's skin against his own eliciting a deep yearning within him. He raised their joined hands, gently tracing over the pilots long fingers with his free hand in awe. He gasped, when Jake's free hand slid a finger beneath his chin, raising his dark eyes to Jake's light ones. He stared at the pilot, utterly enraptured by the tiny fragments of green, and even amber, which he could never usually see in the pilots cerulean eyes.

Jake ran his gaze over Taylor repeatedly, stepping closer as his hands seemed to move of their own accord, trailing over Taylors bared skin and tracing every delicately chiselled detail of his torso and arms. Everywhere he touched, the pilot drew lightning across Taylors skin, electricity which sparked in his veins and shot through him in vivid pulses. "You're so beautiful..." Jake whispered, his eyes rising to meet Taylors, as a rush of desire and longing flooded through him.

Taylor groaned quietly, his eyes slipping closed, as Jake's lips crashed against his own hungrily.  _"Mmm!"_  He gasped, arching against the pilot as his every nerve ending seemed to catch fire, making him burn with a fever which could only be sated by the pilots skin against his own.  _"Jake..."_  He whispered, as the pilot hungrily kissed along his jaw to his throat, his hands caressing Taylor wherever he could reach.

"Uh, anybody else seeing this?!" Sean asked, his voice barely registering through Taylors haze of desire, and the consuming touch of the pilots skin against his own.

"Kinda tryin'  _not_  to, if I'm honest." Diego said awkwardly, though despite his claim, his eyes were drawn to the absorbed pair with a sick kind of fascination. "I think it's hitting them harder... We need to separate them, or... I think, they're  _literally_  going to fuck; like, right in front of us..." He said uncomfortably, clearing his throat as he shuffled towards Taylor.

"Craig, gimme a hand man." Sean called, shaking himself as he stepped around the oblivious pair, as Craig sighed and joined him.

"Bro, I  _hate_  Jake duty..." He said forlornly, though he shook his head and stepped up to help his friend. "He's so  _feisty..."_

Taylor arched against Jake, his heart racing as his body yearned for the pilot desperately. He gasped, as his pilot pressed fervent kisses along the contours of his neck, his teeth grazing his shoulder lightly and causing tendrils of pleasure to pulse from the area. He slid his hands slowly under the pilots shirt, his jaw falling slack and his breath hitching, at the tingling if Jake's bare torso beneath his exploratory fingers.

His eyes snapped open, as arms locked around him from behind, drawing him away from his pilot as he felt something almost akin to physical pain from the sudden separation.  _"Jake..!"_  He cried desperately, straining against the arms around him, as Jake struggled frantically against Sean and Craig's restraining hold on his arms.

"Aw,  _shit,_  bro!" Craig swore gruffly, his face a mask of concentration as Jake threw himself against the restraining barrier he and Sean formed around him. "C'mon Jake, dude! Snap outta it, bro!"

Taylor felt tears of frustration sting his eyes, as Michelle's concerned face appeared before them, blocking his view of his pilot. "Taylor, I need you to listen to me, okay? It's  _really_  important." The blonde said, and Taylor whimpered, as he struggled to look around her and find his pilot once more. He heard the sounds of a fight breaking out behind her, but the blonde cupped his face between her palms and forced him to meet her caramel eyes. "Taylor,  _remember_  why we're here! I know, this stuff is affecting you stronger than us... But try and  _remember,_  Taylor.  _Remember;_  that we're here for  _Quinn..."_  She pleaded, and Taylor whined in denial, wishing he could lose himself in his pilot again.

 _"Jake..."_  He called, his voice strained as he heard rough and heavy panting coming from behind Michelle.

"At this rate, the sap will wear off, and we will have failed..." Aleister drawled slowly, as he stepped up behind Michelle, peering at them both thoughtfully. "Quinn will perish, if you don't get a grip on your hormones and help us save her. This was your idea Taylor, are you really going to give up on her now?"

Taylor hung his head, heaving several deep breaths, as he tried to squash down his unnaturally heightened desire for the pilot. "Jake..." He called, his eyes rising slowly, to find his friends forming a protective barrier between them.

 _"Taylor-"_  Jake called back, his voice strained, as he panted heavily. "I, uh...  _really,_  don't wanna say this but, uh... I think we should probably, let these guys stay between us for now..." The pilot said, huffing a dark laugh of amusement, despite the pain in his voice. "Pretty sure ya ain't a voyeur..."

"I'd be whatever I have to be, to stay with you..." Taylor muttered quietly, though he assumed Jake heard, from the pilots groan.

"Man, you're makin' this hard, Boy Scout..." He sighed, as Taylor closed his eyes and bit his lip. "I ain't wanted you so bad since..."

"I know, Top Gun..." Taylor said, sighing as he forced himself to get a grip on both his body and his emotions. "Me too... but, you're right. We should, steer clear of each other... while we're  _here..."_  He said, as he opened his eyes and glanced back at Diego, nodding for him to release him.

"It's hitting, dudes..." Raj cried, staring around them in awe, having not noticed Taylor or Jake's infatuation with each other, as he focused on his own high. "It's  _hitting!"_

Taylor took a deep breath, and tore his eyes away from where he knew Jake was sitting, just out of sight behind his friends. He looked around for the first tine since the sap had taken effect, his eyes wide as he drank in all the details of the fractured world around them. As he turned, the shapes around him seemed to spin, as the world seemed to refract in an infinite recursion.

"Uqzhaal," Estela called, turning to look behind them. "What are we looking for?"

Taylor shook his head, already certain that the shaman was gone, and utterly unsurprised by the dark haired girls gasp, when she discovered the same thing for herself. "We're somewhere Uqzhaal can't follow at the moment, outside of time..." He muttered, rubbing his brow lightly as a spoke of pain flashed briefly behind his eyes, before disappearing just as suddenly.

"I think Taylors right..." Grace said slowly, fascinated by the way her fingertips taped together slowly before her. "We're in the space between dimensions right now..." She said, as Taylor wrestled with himself, firmly ignoring the desire lingering at the back of his mind which told him to fins his pilot and finish what they'd started.

"It's so..." He sighed, looking up at the fragmented image of Elyys'tel, at the throne room where Quinn was waiting for them to return with the heart, as he tried to focus both his mind and his body.  _"Beautiful..."_  He breathed, as his eyes fell to where his friends had parted, affording him a brief glance of his pilot, who was staring at him longingly, but resolutely refusing to let himself move any closer.

"I've never seem colours like this..." Estela admitted, looking around for herself now that Taylor and Jake were no longer in immediate proximity to each other.

"It's like we're seeing the code of the world..." Zahra breathed, her eyes wide as she stared around in wonder herself. "How it all really is, under the hood..."

"I'm sorry,  _no!"_  Michelle growled, her frustration clear as she clearly fought her own attraction to Sean, who seemed oblivious to her struggles. "I  _so_  did not sign up for this  _Wrinkle in Time_  insanity!" She said, her cheeks flushing pink as she met Taylors knowing gaze. He reached over, and took her hand in his, noticing that while her hands certainly felt soft in his grasp; there was no static electricity beneath his skin, nor fire sparking along his nerves from the blondes touch. In fact, he noticed with a small frown, that it almost felt similar to the Catalyst visions he'd seen; a split second sense of embodiment. "I just wanted to spend a few days on the beach..." The blonde said, her face falling as she leaned against Taylors side. "But  _noooo,_  that was too much to ask."

"So, what the hell do we do now?" Diego asked, clapping Taylor on the shoulder briefly, before glancing around the others. "The part of the movie where the good guys start hallucinating? Yeah, that doesn't usually end so well..." He joked lightly, though his concerned frown spoke loudly of his true feelings about their situation.

"Agreed." Aleister said, tipping his head in a faint nod, as he swallowed thickly. "Tread carefully... And Grace, please stay next to me." He said, reaching for her, only to pause as his eyes fell upon Jake.

"Okay, Aleister." Grace giggled, smiling up at him in understanding of his hesitation. "I'll keep you safe." She teased, though her attempt at easing his discomfort sailed right over the pale boys head.

"Huh..?" Aleister frowned, shaking his head faintly, as Grace continued to smile up at him. "No, I meant I'd keep...  _Ahem,_  never mind." He said sullenly, folding his arms over his chest carefully.

"I dunno what y'all are freaking out over..." Craig scoffed, looking around with a wide grin. "This is  _dope."_

"Preach." Zahra agreed, reaching up to high five with each other, only for their hands to pass right through each other.

"... What the  _hell_  did I just see..?" Jake demanded, his eyes wide as he stared at the pair in disbelief.

"Dude!" Raj cried, looking down at himself in concern. "Are we  _ghosts?!"_  He asked, as Taylor glanced down at his hand, still clasped firmly around Michelle's.

"What the-?" He wondered aloud, raising his eyes to Jake, as the pilot got to his feet, a heavy frown on his face as he turned to look at Taylor in confusion.

"What-?" The pilot asked, as Sean attempted to pat him on the shoulder, only for his hand to sink straight through him. "Okay, this shit just officially fell off the Yellow Submarine..." He sighed, as Zahra began laughing hysterically.

"Ha!" She cackled, waving her arm through Taylors torso. "I'm totally haunting you, Craig!" She snorted, beam in a wide grin up at him.

"Nuh uh," Craig growled defiantly, scowling back at her. " _I'm_  haunting  _you!"_  He said stubbornly.

Taylor looked around, as his friends all tried to touch each other, their fingers phasing through each other like liquid. His stomach turned both hollow and leaden at once, and he stepped back from them, gently removing his hand from Michelle's as he looked down at himself in confusion.

"Maybe, it just took awhile to kick in..?" Jake suggested, as he cautiously walked over. He stopped however, when Taylor shook his head leadingly, tears welling in his eyes as he raised his hands before his eyes.

 _I exist... outside of time_... Taylor recalled, thinking back to the time loop where he'd first been struck by the revelation.  _Being outside of time, means I exist in all times_..? He thought with a confused frown, shaking his head as he tried and failed to understand the workings of his own mind. He swallowed heavily, and raised his haunted gaze to Jake's, as he tucked his hands behind his back. "I uh... I think I..." He stammered, words failing him as Jake's anguish filled eyes ran over him worriedly. "We should... keep moving..." He said quietly, lowering his eyes slightly in an attempt to hide his thoughts and feelings from the pilot.

"... You've no idea, how bad I wanna touch you again right now, Boy Scout..." Jake murmured softly, and Taylor huffed a small, dry chuckle as he shook his head.

"Oh, I got a pretty good idea..." Taylor admitted, his eyes flicking up to Jake's briefly, desire coiling within him; itching for the pilots touch against his skin once more. "But..."

"Yeah...  _'but'."_  Jake agreed with a sigh, glancing at the others to find they'd all accepted the assumption that the effect had taken tome to kick in. "Why'd I get the feelin' we're gonna have another 'some day' conversation soon..?" The pilot groaned, his expression twisting as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, trying to resist the urge to wrap himself around Taylor once more.

"As soon as we've saved Quinn..." Taylor promised, only to frown when the pilot immediately shook his head.

"Oh no, see, I got plans for then..." Jake said, a cocky grin forming on his face as he winked at Taylor. "It can wait 'til tomorrow morning, at least."

Taylor laughed, his eyes dancing with mirth as he gazed at his pilot softly. "I can live with that." He agreed, biting his lip at the flutter of excitement in his gut. He averted his gaze as a hunger crept into his heart, urging him to give in and reach for the pilot. He watched as Raj ran straight through Diego, the group laughing uproariously at them, as he shook his head in fond amusement.

"Okay, I was  _not_  prepared for that level of intimacy!" Michelle cried, and Taylor switched his gaze to her, to find she'd received a hug from Craig, only for the jock to fall straight through her.

"Okay, so..." Sean said loudly, drawing everyone's attention as he scratched at his shoulder awkwardly. "I guess, we're ghosts right now... But, we can't lose track of what we came here to do... Wherever 'here' is."

"Sean's right." Taylor said, sharing a final heated look with Jake, before tilting his head towards the group. "We find this Islands Heart thing, and we  _save_  Quinn." He said firmly, as he and Jake joined the others, though they were careful to keep several paces between them.

"The old man said it was feeding the giant tree, right?" Jake asked, making a conscious effort to focus, and Taylor tried to clamp down on the rush of affection he felt for the pilot at the gesture, before it could consume him. "So, it's gotta be somewhere in the city..." Jake concluded, pretending not to notice Taylors sudden shift in his stance.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Estela asked, gesturing towards the upper levels of the city. "Let's head up and see what we can find."

Taylor nodded, and set off at a brisk pace, leading the others towards the grand entrance of Elyys'tel; only to find it barricaded with a high wall of sharp wooden spikes. "Guys, I don't think this was here before..." Lila said slowly, eyeing the barricades suspiciously.

"Wow, Lila." Zahra said dryly, rolling her eyes at the tour guide. "Again with the subtle insight." She snarked, shaking her head as she turned away from the overly cheerful girl.

"We keep going forward..." Taylor said, after taking a moment to consider. He stepped closer to the barricade, deliberately ignoring Jake's nervous glance.

"Taylor, be careful!" Grace called, her fingers tapping nervously against each other, as she watched him approach the threatening spikes with wide eyes.

"I'll be okay..." Taylor called reassuringly over his shoulder, taking another step closer, until the jagged spikes were only inches away from him. He swallowed heavily, his heart racing as doubt flickered in his mind.  _If this works like it did with the others, I'll be able to touch them... But not get past_. He thought, his leg bouncing slightly as nerves struck him. He reached up with a shaking hand, to touch the tip of a spike. He closed his eyes, his heart sinking, as he felt the sharp point pushing back. He took several deep breaths, his lips twisting into a grimace as he opened his eyes and glared at the spikes. "I will  _not_  give up now. I can do this..." He muttered furiously, his body growing warm in his frustration.

"You got this, Boy Scout." Jake called quietly, as if sensing Taylors souring mood. He half turned, to find the pilot watching him intently, his clear eyes focused entirely upon his finger against the spike.

Taylor swallowed, as Jake winked at him, and he took a deep breath as he turned back to the obstruction. He exhaled slowly, closing his eyes and steeling his determination once more, as he tentatively reached out again. After several seconds of no resistance, he peeked his eyes open, to find his hand had moved straight through the wall, like a ghost. "I'm through!" He cried in surprise, a wide, relieved grin spreading across his face as he threw Jake a grateful look. The pilot winked at him, pride in his eyes, as Taylor bit his lip and fiercely ignored the desire to kiss his pilot. "Come on, everyone! We can phase through solid walls..." He said, as he walked through the barrier in demonstration.

"Sick!" Raj cheered smugly, grinning broadly as he moved through the barrier. "Ghost-Taylor, for the win!"

"Of course it worked." Michelle sniffed, following Raj through the spiked defences. "Taylors the only one of you, not dumb enough to miss it." She said, offering him a proud grin as one by one, the rest of the group passed through the spiked wall; into the Vaanti's tree city.

"We're inside.  _Hooray."_  Jake snarked sarcastically, and Taylor wrinkled his nose at his pilot, resisting the urge to nudge his shoulder. "Now what?" The pilot asked, grinning at Taylors obviously feigned irritation.

"Now, we just have to figure out where this Heart thing is..." Taylor said, biting his lip as Jake rolled his eyes at the unhelpful answer. He held his breath, as Jake stepped cautiously closer.

"Any idea where we should start lookin', Boy Scout..?" The pilot asked quietly, his eyes darkening with fresh desire, as they lowered to where Taylor gnawed at his lip. He cleared his throat, and took a step back, as Taylor shook his head minutely.

"Perhaps they can help?" Aleister suggested, pointing across the walkway, to where several Vaanti warriors were brandishing spears; and running towards them.

"There they are!" Yelled a male in an owl mask, and despite the fact they spoke in their native tongue; Taylor found himself perfectly able to understand them inside his head.

"Hey! Fellas!" Jake called, raising a hand to them. "Can you give us a hand?" He asked, only for the Vaanti to raise their spears, as they charged towards them.

"Get them!" Cried the male in the owl mask, snarling as he raced alongside the other Vaanti warriors.

 _"Aah!"_  Aleister gasped, turning around to wrap Grace in his arms protectively, shielding her from the imminent attack.

Taylor felt his heart clench painfully, and he rushed towards Jake, standing before him protectively as he closed his eyes.  _"Taylor!"_  Jake called, his hands raising to Taylors shoulders, in an attempt to shove him aside, but as he did, Taylor felt something inside his chest snap sharply. "What the-?" Jake murmured, his hands quickly detaching from Taylors shoulders before the others could see his solid touch. Taylor slowly opened his eyes, and gasped at the sight before him. He stepped forward, his eyes wide as he examined the Vaanti warriors; frozen mid-charge, not even moving so little as their own eyes. "Uh... What just happened..?" Jake asked incredulously, pointing to the frozen Vaanti, almost in accusation.

"They stopped moving." Lila gasped, her eyes wide as she stared at the warriors intently, a calculating gleam in her eyes.

"Not just them." Estela said quietly, and Taylor turned towards her with a brow raised in query. She gestured towards the rest of the village with her chin, where everything remained perfectly still. Taylor looked around, noticing leaves in mid roll, dancing on the wind; all frozen.

Taylor swallowed, an epiphany he didn't want to give voice to prodding st the back of his mind. He shook his head, trying to deny the idea, only for it to fester and grow. "I think..." Taylor began, with a reluctant groan. He glanced at Jake, whose gaze was confused but sharp acutely tuned to Taylors discomfort. "I think time just...  _stopped."_  He admitted hesitantly, sucking his lip between his teeth as an unwelcome sense of rightness spread through his stomach like acid, burning him with its intensity.

"What the  _hell_  is happening?" Michelle asked, her face falling as her eyes darted around the group worriedly, before turning to the frozen Vaanti. "Why were they attacking us?"

"Don't think it's us they were after..." Sean said slowly, his eyes wide as he looked behind them. "Honestly, I don't think they could see us at all. Look..." He said, and Taylor turned to see him gesturing towards another group of Vaanti warriors behind them, frozen in time as their eyes burned with hatred.

"They're attacking  _each other_..!" Jake cried, the realization striking him as suddenly as it had Taylor. The pilot met his gaze with wide eyes, his surprise evident as he stepped closer cautiously.

"What the hell?" Craig demanded, scowling between the two groups of Vaanti warriors.  _"Why?_  It was all peace and love ten minutes ago..."

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Toto..." Taylor sighed, running a hand across his eyes as a headache formed behind them.

"Taylor..." Jake murmured in concern, his hand raising to his back, but not making contact, much to the pilots obvious grief.

"I'm okay." Taylor promised with a pained smile, biting his lip as he relished the closeness of his pilot, though he refused to let himself lean closer.

"The Three Tribes' War..." Diego said suddenly, his jaw dropping as he looked over at Taylor with wide eyes. "The Vaanti talk about it sometimes. Like, a hundred years ago, they had a big civil war over their faith..."

"The Faith of The Endless?" Taylor asked, frowning at his friend thoughtfully.  _Sounds like some of the Vaanti had minds of their own after all... How different things could have been._.. He thought quietly, wondering might have happened without the Vaanti faith driving them to raid The Celestial in the hopes of capturing them.

"Yeah!" Diego said, nodding his head quickly as he ticked off on his fingers. "Worshipping the spirit of the island, listening to The Endless's every prophecy, freaking out about Raan'losti... One tribe wanted full theocracy, while another wanted to cast the religion off entirely." He explained, shaking his head sadly as he looked around the hateful expressions of the frozen warriors. "It got bad. There was another huge tree like this... It burned. Those twelve Catalyst Idols they want so bad? Lost. Scattered."

"So, that's two tribes..." Michelle said thoughtfully, looking at Diego with a raised brow. "Who's the third?"

"We already know them..." Taylor said, smiling faintly as his head throbbed with a continuous dull pain. "Varyyn's people."

"That's right; the ones who won." Diego agreed, grinning triumphantly. "Varyyn's ancestors just wanted peace. They defeated the leaders of both the other trives, and forced a truce." He explained, and Taylor couldn't help but smile at his friends soft expression. "Everything sorta just... went back to normal, after that."

Taylor shook his head, sighing heavily as he looked up at the top of the tree. "It's all well and good to force a truce... But it's pointless. If you force a thing, it isn't real." He said, frowning as he felt a pulling sensation in his chest. "They'll just fight again... You can already see the echoes of it; Seraxa and Uqzhaal are always bickering over the same thing..."

"Yeah, it's dumb!" Craig agreed with a scowl, moving to fist bump Taylor before rolling his eyes, as he remembered their incorporeal form. "You don't go for the tie, you play to win the game!"

"Uh, yeah..." Taylor agreed, stepping away from the jock slightly, immensely relieved that he hadn't completed his attempt at touching him.

"Agreed." Estela said firmly, nodding her head sharply. "You can't let your opponents ever have a second chance." She said, looking up at Taylor with a fierce determination in her eyes, leaving him in no doubt of her true message.  _"Finish_  what you start."

"I don't know. I think it's better that they found a way to live in peace together, despite being so different... despite having hurt each other so bad." Grace said uncertainly, as if concerned they'd find her opinion lackluster. Taylor smiled at her warmly, a warmth in his heart at the constant belief in humanity which Grace encouraged in them all.

"So, we're...  _then?"_  Lila asked, her eyes wide as she visibly panicked slightly. "We're in the past?" She demanded, gazing around in awe struck tension.

"It sure looks like it..." Grace admitted thoughtfully, looking around curiously. "It's not just space that's refracting... it's time too..."

"Hm, an admirable deduction." Aleister praised, looking at the frozen Vaanti thoughtfully. "And somehow, it would seem we can control it's flow..." He said, and Taylor gasped, gripping his head as the pieces clicked together in painful clarity. He recalled his fall from the cliff, and how Jake had said it seemed he was falling at half speed, right up until Jake had collided with him. He began to hyperventilate, thinking back to the strange sensation he'd first felt, after reappearing on The Celestial roof; too lost in his grief over losing Diego to focus on the feelings blossoming in his chest.

"Taylor,  _breathe..."_  Jake murmured urgently, his eyes filled with turmoil as he watched Taylor struggle, unable to give the comfort he so clearly itched to. "What's-"

"I..." He gasped, shuddering as he sucked in a deep breath and held it, forcing himself to count to ten before he released it. "I'm sorry. I'm... I'm okay now." He said haltingly, painting what he hoped was a reassuring smile on his lips as the others all squabbles amongst themselves. "I promise." He added with a fond huff, at the pilots disbelieving frown.

"Well, you said we had control!" Craig scoffed, folding his arms over his chest as he scowled at Aleister. "Seemed like a cool thing to try!" He sulked, as Aleister rolled his eyes and turned away. "I dunno what you're freakin' out over, it didn't work, bro!" He said defensively, and Taylor raised a brow in silent query.

"Trust me when I say, you don't wanna know." Diego assured with a small snort, eyeing Taylor worriedly, having clearly overheard his conversation with Jake. "Suffice to say though, Aleister was wrong..." He said, stifling a giggle as the pale boy flushed pink. "None of us can control 'the flow' and we're all now... Kinda freakin' out about being stuck in the Twilight Zone."

Taylor frowned, looking around his friends as he bit his lip. He turned towards the immobilized Vaanti, half raising a tentative hand towards them, before quickly dropping it to his side. He took a deep breath, and focused his mind; and slowly, time began to spoil forward. In slow motion, the first Vaanti group sprinted through his friends ghostly forms, as he stepped delicately out of their way. They collided with the second group of Vaanti, locked into heated, hateful battle together.

"How-" Aleister gasped, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully as he looked around their group again.

"Are you controlling this slo-mo fight sequence, Taylor?" Diego gasped quietly, his eyes wide with concern, as Taylor flushed a guilty pink and shrugged his shoulders. "Zack Snyder would be proud!" Diego said as Taylor snorted, relieved his friend wasn't treating him any different.

_**"Xxxiiimmmaaaeeedddrrraaa..."** _

"Uh, did you hear that?" Zahra asked, looking around as a drawling voice resounded around them. Taylor frowned, concentrating to set time back to full speed, and moments later; the voice came again, it's words finally distinguishable.

"Ximaedra! Where are you?!" Taylors eyes were drawn to a frantic blue Vaanti warrior, his eyes glowing beneath his tiger mask, as he shoved his way through the fighting.

"Palaun!" Called a green skinned female, her skull mask glinting in the flames of burning torches. "I'm here! This way!" Taylor balked at the sight of the two Vaanti warriors coming together, pushing their way through the fighting to run up to a distant platform, dozens of feet above them.

"That woman in the skull mask..." Estela said, her eyes following the same pair as Taylor. "It's her..."

"Varyyn's mother..." Diego murmured sadly, sighing as he stared up at the young woman racing through Elyys'tel.

"Queen Ximaedra... a hundred years ago!" Grace cried, as Taylor began to dodge around the fighting Vaanti to hurry after her.

"Uqzhaal said that the Elyyshar's had forbidden going after the Heart..." Aleister muttered quickly, his eyes flickering around the group. "If they knew something about its power, then..."

"Are you guys still talking?" Taylor called, as he reached the far end of the bridge, wrinkling his nose at then playfully as he waved them over. "Come on, already! Before we lose her!" He said, running along the walkway and keeping his eyes locked on Ximaedra, now only a few levels above him. "Hurry! We've got to keep up!" He called over his shoulder, glancing up as a Vaanti bomber released an incendiary bomb.

"Heads up!" Raj yelled, and Taylor skidded to a halt, as the small bomb exploded. He panted heavily, staring at the fire which began eating away at the wood, collapsing the bridge ahead of them.

"Crap!" Craig yelled, his eyes darting between the downed bridge and the escaping Vaanti.

Taylor grimaced, remaining calm as he focused and willed the power he felt twirling through his veins to reverse time. He watched, as everything reversed direction suddenly. The glider flew backwards, as warring factions parted, and the bridge repaired itself before them. "Hurry! Get across!" He barked, leading his friends across the no longer broken walkway.

"Hell yeah, Taylor!" Zahra cheered, practically skipping across the bridge in her glee.

"Good thinking." Estela agreed, racing across the bridge and gesturing for him to retake the lead. "Keep going!" She encouraged, as they raced on together, finding Ximaedra on the levels above and choosing the route which would lead them closest to her. Soon however, they came to another destroyed section of the walkway, and Taylor quickly brought everyone to a halt.

 _"Dammit!"_  Jake cursed, his eyes meeting Taylors as they reached the same conclusion together. "We've got no idea  _when_  this happened!" He scowled, and Taylor felt his heart melt, as the pilot managed to look both annoyed at their circumstance; and still worried for him.

 _"That,_  is  _way_  too far to jump." Estela growled in frustration, as Taylor looked up to see an arrow slash through the canvas wings of a glider. The Vaanti pilot struggled to keep control as he plunged downwards, and Taylors eyes hardened in sudden determination. He focused his mind, reaching out with his hand, as he waited with baited breath for the right moment. To avoid crashing, the Vaanti pilot flew through the gaps in between the platforms, and Taylor struck like a viper; tugging sharply at his control, and forcing time to a stand still. The crashing glider hung in the air, suspended precisely between the two platforms.

"Aw,  _sick!"_  Zahra sniggered, seeming almost to glow with her satisfaction. "Taylor got us a stepping stone!"

"Nice reflexes, Taylor." Estela said, slightly out of breath as her eyes widened towards him. "I'm... a little impressed." She admitted, smiling crookedly at him.

"Just a little?" Taylor asked, his heart lightening at the lack of judgement from his friends over his ability to bend time, when they had failed. "Be honest..." He sniggered, biting his lip as he caught Jake scowling at him.

"Okay," Estela huffed, beaming a wide grin at him as she laughed in defeat.  _"Maybe_  a lot." She confessed quietly, her cheeks flushing pink. Taylor raised a brow at Jake, as the pilot huffed and turned away, his expression stormy from the exchange.

"Hurry, Palaun!" Ximaedra called from above them, and as the others hurried over Taylors glider bridge, he brushed his fingers against the back of the pilots hand, shivering at the spark of desire the contact elicited within him. Jake glanced up at him, surprised by the touch, but his gaze softened at the gesture all the same.

Continuing after the others, he looked up at Ximaedra, as she led the other Vaanti warrior along a catwalk. "Taylor!  _Wait!"_  Sean called, and Taylor skidded to a halt before he could run into the athletes outstretched arm. "Huh, guess that was kinda pointless actually..." The athlete chuckled, withdrawing his arm as he gestured to the edge of the platform, mere inches from Taylors feet.

"This path doesn't go any further..." Taylor gasped, looking down at the huge drop before him, before peering up to where Ximaedra continued to race further away from them.

"We've gotta find a way up to the next level." Jake said, his eyes meeting Taylors briefly, before looking away to search for another path. Taylor looked around frantically for anything which might be helpful, his heart racing as Ximaedra got further away from them.

Suddenly, his eyes focused on a thin, young branch of the great tree, sticking up out of the bark. "Guys, stand back a second!" He said quickly, gently pushing Jake behind him, uncertain how his plan would work. "I have an idea!" He called over his shoulder, as he frowned, concentrating his focus on accelerating time. Soon, the small branch began to grow and Taylor grinned widely as it began to reach towards them. "Quick! Grab on!" He said, jumping to grab the top of the rapidly growing branch. He looked down to see everyone copying him, grabbing hold of the branch as it extended outwards and upwards, sweeping them towards the higher platform.

"Oh dear!" Aleister cried, his eyes wide as he held onto the branch for dear life.

" _Woooo-hoo_!" Jake cried gleefully, dangling from the branch precariously as it swept him through the air. He beamed a wide grin at Taylor, who giggled at his pilots joy, his heart light at the laughter in the other mans clear gaze.

Taylor looked down, and let go of the branch, landing on the upper platform with a faint thud. He dusted of his hands on his Vaanti shorts, as he pushed to his feet and looked around. "Nice job." Zahra praised, as she too glanced around the platform. "Now, where are we?"

Taylor frowned, unable to see Ximaedra anywhere. He glanced behind him, considering his ability to focus on specific objects and alter the time around them. He spread his palms and gazed at them thoughtfully, before closing his eyes and focusing himself. He concentrated on the moment they'd arrived, the clashing Vaanti warriors and at the sound of gasps around him, he opened his eyes to see the world around him playing in reverse.

"Boy Scout..." Jake murmured worriedly, his gaze torn as he half reached toward him, reluctantly hovering before making contact.

"It's okay..." Taylor whispered, as his friends watched the world slowly rewind around them. "I'm okay." He assured, hesitantly raising his hand and setting it atop the pilots jacket, giving comfort without touching his bare skin. He turned, as the young Ximaedra appeared, standing right in front of them as she talked rapidly with her companion; as civil war raged below them. He concentrated, stopping time's reversal, and allowing it to return to its regular pace.

"Do not lose hope, Palaun." Ximaedra said gently, resting her hand upon the blue warriors arm.

"But, the Faithless are trying to destroy all the Catalyst Idols!" The male, Palaun, complained. He bowed his head to Ximaedra, his sense of defeat palpable. "What if they find the Island's Heart? What if they-"

"Do you really think the Heart, this great tree blossomed, could be destroyed by Vaanti hands?" Ximaedra asked, shaking her head compassionately.  _"No._  It remains beyond our realm." She explained softly, reassuring the other Vaanti as she pressed her free hand to her chest. "It existed long before us. It will be here, long after our people are gone. We must focus on what we  _can_  protect... our people." She said, opening and reaching into a satchel on her hip to draw out a Catalyst Idol of what looked like a ballerina. Taylor felt Jake tense beside him, and he pointedly avoided meeting the pilots concerned gaze, keeping his rapt attention on the Vaanti before them.

"You have one of the Twelve!" Palaun cried, his glowing eyes raising to her in disbelief. "Are you handing it over to the devout?" He demanded, only for the green woman to shake her head slowly.

"No." She said, taking his hand and pressing the idol into it. "It is too much power in either of the tribes' hands... It must be hidden." She said, squeezing his hands closed around the idol. "I trust that mission to you, Palaun. Keep it safe, somewhere nearby."

"And what will you do, Ximae?" The Vaanti warrior asked in obvious concern, his fingers clasping at hers, rather than at the idol she pressed into his hand. She smiled briefly, before removing her hands from his, and stepping back as she drew a broadsword of obsidian.

"I will bring an  _end_  to this." She declared firmly, her eyes narrowing on the fighting below them. She shared a last glance with the blue male, before she leaped down to a lower platform and rejoined the fray. Palaun watched for a moment, biting his lip, before he darted off nervously.

"He's taking off with the idol!" Grace cried, a look of pain on her face. Taylor huffed, watching her sadly and wondering what awful sadness from her past he was about to intrude upon.

"Good." Jake muttered darkly, glaring after the retreating figure scornfully. "Good riddance to bad rubbish." He sniffed, as Taylor bit his lip and slowly moved away. "Aw,  _crap..."_  Jake sighed, scowling as his eyes locked onto Taylors guilty shuffling. "I  _hate_  those things." He said, falling into a reluctant jog beside Taylor, as they followed after the Vaanti warrior.

"I know... Me too." Taylor admitted, wishing he could take the pilots hand in his own as his heart began to race with nervous energy. "I'm sorry-"

"Yeah, I know, Boy Scout..." Jake sighed, as they slowed, the Vaanti ahead of them coming to a stop. "I just... I can't do anything here. Last time..."

"Last time was the worst." Taylor said, his throat constricting tightly at the flash of memory; eleven freshly dug mounds of dirt, and dog tags around his neck, which should never have left his pilot. "I promise... It'll be okay..." He said, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt.

"I just wish I could..." Jake murmured, his eyes running over Taylor worriedly, as the Vaanti warrior searched around for anyone watching him; unable to see they were right beside him, through the inter-dimensional veil.

"Trust me... Me too..." Taylor said, a nervous giggle escaping him, as he bit his lip and stepped as close to Jake as he dared. He rested his hands on Jake's jacket carefully, taking a deep breath as he closed his eyes and drew what strength he could from his pilots comforting presence.

"No one else knows about this alcove..." The Vaanti, Palaun, whispered tensely. "It will have to do." He muttered, brushing aside a layer of moss and vines to open a small hole in the tree's bark. He stashed the idol inside quickly, before hurried off to rejoin the battle.

Grace reached for the idol in fascination, but as her hand approached the idol, time warped around her. The shift in time cleared to reveal a solid sheet of bark, the idol encased deep within its protective shell. "Wha..?" She gasped, running her fingers over the rough bark almost reverently. "In the present, the opening must've grown over... The idol's trapped!"

"Grace..." Taylor chuckled fondly, flashing her a wide grin which he hoped was convincing, as he carefully stepped away from Jake. "We were just walking through walls..! You can still reach inside." He assured, taking a deep breath in preparation of what he knew would be an unpleasant experience.

Tentatively, Grace reached forward, resting her hand against the bark briefly; before it disappeared into the tree, emerging with the idol clutched tightly in her grasp. "Look!" She cheered, laughing joyously. "I got it!" She said, offering it to Taylor to hide away with the others. Taylor met Jake's tormented clear eyes with a soft smile, and reched for the idol, making the pilot the last thing he saw; before both he and Grace were touching the idol, and he was whisked away in a flash of bright white light.

He looked around, finding himself in a classroom back at Hartfeld. Professor Diaz was adjourning the biology class, as Grace hurriedly packed her things into her bag. Taylor frowned at the strange, echoing sensation of Grace's thoughts around him.  _I've just got three minutes to get to Econ two-oh-three!_  She thought in a rush, trying to stuff her papers into an already overflowing folder.  _Then T.A. office hours for Quantum Mechanics... before I have to meet with my group for my engineering project! Oh... I hope I make it!_  She thought frantically, as she quickly stood and swung her bag onto her shoulder, rushing for the end of the row when she collided with a firm body; barely keeping a hold of her things.

 _"Oof!"_  Aleister coughed, as his hands settled on her shoulders, keeping her from falling backwards.

"Oh!" She gasped, looking up with wide eyes at the startled pale boy before her. "Oh, I'm  _so_  sorry!" She cried, her face falling as she laid a hand on his arm in concern.

"It's..." Aleister said, before clearing his throat and attempting to regain his composure. "All is forgiven. I just wanted to,  _ahem..."_  He coughed, as he reached into his bag and pulled put a pen, offering it to Grace sheepishly. "Here. You dropped this." He said brusquely, and as Grace accepted it with a pleased squeal, Taylor could just make out the engraving; Grace Tamara Hall.

"My pen!" Grace cheered happily, clutching it to her chest briefly, before tucking it into one of the top pockets of her bag. "You found it! I lost this  _weeks_  ago!"

"Hrm. Right... I  _just_  found it now." Aleister said, his cheeks flushing a guilty pink as he fiddled with a button on his bag. "I wasn't... holding onto it for the right moment or anything...  _preposterous_  like that." He said, with an awkward chuckle. Taylor could see the pale boys frustration with himself, and if he had the body to, he'd have winced in anticipation. "What I mean to say is, you should keep better track of your things!" He snarled suddenly, his face twisting in irritation which was never aimed at the dark skinned girl.

"I will! Thanks!" Grace beamed, stretching up to press a fleeting, grateful kiss to the pale boys cheek. "Gotta go!" She cried, dashing past him, oblivious to everything but her joy and her need to hurry.

 _"Oh._  I-" Aleister stammered, his hand raising to his cheek, as Grace darted down the staircase. A tiny smile flittered across his lips, as he looked after her. "Very well then..." He murmured, as Grace reached the bottom of the stairs, and noticed a group forming around the front of the room.

"Diaz graded our papers!" Raj cried happily, beaming over the top of everyone, as he waved a stack of papers in the air. "Come get 'em!"

Grace wriggled through the crowd, excitedly taking her own, only to stare down st the red markings circled on the front page in growing disbelief.

**'B plus. I know you can do better than this!'**

Grace stared at the paper with wide yees, her joy over her pen, her classes and her haste all forgotten; in the face of something so foreign.  _B plus..? It can't be... I-_  she broke off suddenly, as Sean smiled over at her warmly, his brow raised expectantly.

"How'd you do, Grace?" He asked, peering down at her and trying to catch a glimpse of the papers she hurriedly stuffed into her bag. "An A as usual, I guess?" He asked, as Grace finally shoved the papers out of his sight.

"Heh... Sorry, can't chat!" She said with false bravado, her heart aching from such an unexpected shock. She painted a wide smile on her face and waved as cheerfully as she could. "Gonna be late for Econ!"

"Man, what I wouldn't give for your four point oh..." Sean sighed, unintentionally making Grace feel worse, as her heart seemed to skip a beat. "Congrats." He said, waving s she hurried out of the classroom and rushed across the empty quad. Her professors words echoed through her mind, as she slowly ambled her way through the dark and quiet quad.

**'I know you can do better than this.'**

_What am I gonna tell my mom?_  Grace panicked, her breath quickening as she worried about her mothers reaction.  _I should just be honest... Right?_  She wondered, biting her lip, before growling and scowling as she kicked the ground.  _She has to accept that I'm not perfect! That I'm never gonna be her_! She thought fiercely, her hands curling into fists as she swept angry tears from her eyes with her sleeve.  _That I'm never gonna take over the company! That I'm a._.. She hesitated, her arms falling stiffly to her side as she came to a halt, hanging her head in frustration and shame.  _A disappointment..!_

Fresh waves of hot rears flooded her eyes, blinding her, as her throat began to burn. She squeezed her fist's tighter, her fingernails digging into her palms. She blinked, her tears falling, clearing her vision enough that she could see it right before her; Professor Diaz's car, a modest sedan, resting in the parking lot. Her jaw locked, as she dropped her bag to the ground and slowly picked up a temporary signpost from a nearby construction zone. With her chest heaving in unnatural, choking sobs of anger, she smashed it into the hood of Diaz's car.

"You know I can do better?" She snarled, smashing the signpost against the wing mirror, knocking it clean off. " _You know I can do better?!"_  She roared brokenly, as she spun around and smashed signpost into the trunk. "Well, I  _can't,_  okay?!" She cried desperately, screaming her pain free of her, as she smashed the door panels. "I  _can't_  do any better!  _Aaaahhh!"_  She screamed, finally throwing the signpost at the car. It punctured the windshield, shattering the glass, and the noise snapped Hrace out of her haze of fury.

"Oh my god..." She gasped, looking down at her hands, before she raised them to cover her mouth, staring at the destroyed car in horror. "Oh no, no,  _no..._  what have I  _done..?!"_  She whispered, her pain palpable in the air around her. "I... I have to turn myself in!" She said bravely, before her eyes flickered with doubt. "But... then, what will my  _mom_  say? She'll...  _She'll..."_

Taylor watched with a broken heart, as Grace's body seemed to act of it's own accord, trying to protect her from the inevitable fallout with her mother. He watched as get hand scooped up her bag, her legs backing away slowly, before they took off at a full sprint. Grace panted, running blindly in her desperation to escape. Taylor knew she had no idea where she was going, or how far before it would be before she would get there. She was just; running.

The night faded, replaced by Grace sitting in the library the following day, trying to study; but unable to test her thoughts from what she had done the previous evening. She tensed, as she heard whispers nearby, as she had all day; about only one topic.

"Yo, Zahra, did you hear someone totally wailed on Professor D's car?" Craig called, as the heavily pierced girl walked in. "Was it you?"

 _"Pfft._  I wish." Zahra snorted, bumping fists with him briefly. "They don't know who it was yet?" She asked, as someone twpped Grace on the shoulder, making her junpe guiltily.

"Hey, Grace?" Michelle asked, frowning at something over her shoulder. "There are a couple cops here... They wanna talk to you." The blonde said, smiling reassuringly as Grace's eyes widened.

"Huh?" She gasped, turning to see the two police officers just behind the blonde.

"Yeah." Michelle said, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she glanced over at them again, before returning her gaze to Grace, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "What do they want? Did you see who banged up Professor Diaz's car?" She asked excitedly, hoping to get the gossip before anyone else.

Grace lowered her eyes, her hands curling into loose balls as her face fell. "... Yeah. I guess, I  _did..."_  She said, as Michelle stepped back to let her get up. Grace calmly collected her things, and with a deep breath, she slowly walked towards the waiting pair of police officers. Her eyes locked onto where one of them held something small and silver, an engraved pen. And written on the side, was her very own name; Grace Tamara Hall.

Taylor felt his heart ache, at the brave set of the girls shoulders, as his vision was blinded by white light. He felt such a swell of affection for the girl, he would have wept, if only he had the body to allow the gesture. Once more, he was hurled through time and space until suddenly, he found himself on a ledge. He felt a curl of fear stab painfully in his gut, upon discovering he was overlooking the magma chamber of Mount Atropo.

"Grace,  _hurry!"_  Lila called, her desperation clear from her panicked tone if not from her wide, and wild eyes.

"Come  _on,_  Grace!" Michelle called, clutching the railing tightly as she stared around them fearfully. "You  _said_  you could do it!" She cried pleadingly.

"I can!" Grace replied, frantically gripping her curly hair in her hands. "At least... I  _think_  I can... She said, taking a deep breath and untangling her hands to delicately explore the wiring of a small, electronic box. On one side, a red LCD timer counted away the seconds in slow torment. Taylor felt his stomach turn, upon realizing that there were only fifty seven seconds remaining.

"If you don't hurry up, Rourke's bomb is gonna kill us all!" Craig yelled, stared at her in open fear.

"Heavens, will you all  _shut up?"_  Aleister demanded, glaring at them all furiously. "Grace can do  _anything!_  She'll get us out of this!" He snarled, as they visibly wilted under his ire.

"I-" Grace choked, staring blankly at her fingers, her breath coming quicker as her panic set in.

"You can  _do_  this, Grace." Sean said calmly, smiling over reassuringly. "I know you can do this." He added encouragingly, only for his words to have the opposite effect than he intended.

"I  _can't,_  okay?!" Grace bellowed, her hands retreating from the device as she clawed at her face in distress. "I  _can't_  do it!  _I can't be what you want me to be!_ " She cried, hyperventilating as she lost control of her emotions.

 _"Grace!"_  Aleister cried frantically, rushing to her side. "We did not mean to-"

"I  _can't_  do better!" She screamed furiously, shoving Aleister back towards the others as she picked up a rock, and began smashing it into the bomb. Over, and over, and over again.

"Grace,  _stop!"_  Sean called, his eyes wide as he caught Aleister and stared at the anger riddled girl.

" _I_!..." She said, smashing the rock against the top of the bomb. " _Can't_!..." She growled, smashing the bomb's side.  _"Do!..."_  She screamed, her hands slamming the rock down as hard as she could.  _"Better!"_  She finally cried, bashing the device one more time. The bomb gave a small click, as the timer display, skipped to a flat zero. Grace's eyes widened in realisation, and if Taylor had been able, he would have screamed in grief at the girls broken whisper;  _"...oops.."_

The world whited out in a cacophony of explosions and light. When the blinding light finally faded, he found himself staring into the concerned gaze of his pilot. He heaved a sigh, and hung his head briefly, allowing his emotions a moment to settle, before looking up with a soft smile. Jake looked no less concerned for his efforts however, and with a roll of his eyes, he turned to meet Grace's vibrant and excited eyes. "We found another one, Taylor! Isn't that wonderful?" She asked, beaming him a wide grin, as he swallowed heavily and lowered his gaze to the idol, as she released it.

"This is all well and good, et cetera..." Aleister growled snidely, as Taylor wiped his eyes discreetly and stuffed the idol deep into his bag. "But we are still no closer to knowing where the Heart is!" He growled, as Grace smiled at him.

"No..." She admitted, giggling excitedly. "But we know when it is!" She said, her fingers steepling as she grinned at Aleister warmly.

"Ximaedra did say that this tree grew from the Heart, right?" Lila said, beaming around the group with a wide grin. "We just have to rewind time, to when it first started to grow!"

"A tree this big?" Sean said, his eyes wide as he rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. "We're talking thousands of years, at least!"

"Damn right we are." Jake said, his eyes averted to glare down at Taylor bag. "Maybe we should take a breather... We ain't got any idea how all this time-turner shit this is gonna affect you, Boy Scout... "

"We don't have time." Taylor said gently, biting his lip and waiting a moment for the pilot to meet his gaze. He sighed with disappointment, however, when Jake stubbornly kept his eyes locked onto Taylors bag. "Everybody, hold on..." Taylor said, raising a hand as he tried to feel the different passages of time flowing around them. He took a deep breath, holding it a moment before he finally exhaled, as he snagged onto the central timeline of the entire tree. "I'm taking us back!" He said, grimacing in concentration as he began to encourage time to move the wrong way. Slowly, the world around them began to move in reverse, the sun moving backwards across the sky, as war reverted to peace.

"It's getting faster!" Lila cried, as she gazed around them in awe. Taylor frowned, feeling a tense pulling sensation in his chest, as the buildings around them were deconstructed. The great city of Elyys'tel slowly retreated, right down to the trees bare flank. As time began to race faster, Taylor felt the pulsing inside him grow stronger, and he pressed his free hand against his chest as if to make sure there was nothing trying to break through. He caught brief glimpses of people in tuxedos and gowns, roaming the rainforest.

 _"Whoa!"_  Zahra cried, her eyes narrowing as she stared at the people suspiciously. "Check it out!  _Humans!"_  She cried, her eyes flying wide as her suspicions were confirmed.

Taylor felt his brow grow warm, sweat forming as he forced time to keep going against its natural grain. On the horizon, enormous container ships sailed towards them, their hulls emblazoned with a swirling logo.

"Rourke international..." Aleister sighed, staring at the ships forlornly. "Those are my father's shipping vessels..."

Taylor grit his teeth, forcing himself to ignore the pain forming behind his eyes, as well as the ever stronger pulling from within his chest, forcing time to continue backwards. Soon, the sea was on fire before them. On the horizon, a Venezuelan oil tanker was cracked in two, it's black blood spilling forth toward them. Nearby, an American destroyer exchanged torpedoes with a trio of German U-boats, as fighter propeller planes fought like dogs overhead.

"World War Two..." Jake said, reluctantly voicing his admiration, as he stared thoughtfully up at the planes above them. "This has gotta be the Battle of the Caribbean."

"Wish you could fly one of those?" Taylor asked with a huff, as he forced time to keep going further backward still.

"Right now?" Jake asked, finally meeting Taylors gaze with his heavily concerned, clear eyes. "There's somethin' else I want  _way_  more." He said meaningfully, stepping closer to Taylor, and hesitantly leaning his jacketed arm against Taylors side.

Taylor leaned against him gratefully, his head beginning to throb dully, as the pulling in his chest became a constant ache. The world around then moved even faster, the epileptic flashing between night and day, became a steady dim light; too fast for their eyes to catch, as the sun and the moon hovered in the sky, side by side. Pirate ships swarmed the bay before them, and the manor on Sharktooth Isle unbuilt itself. "Those must be Yvonne's peeps..." Raj said, tipping his chin towards the ships which flitted in and out of the bay rapidly.

The large galleons gave way to barrow, oared canoes which were covered in palm trees, beaching themselves on the sands. "This must be the Mayan explorers..." Sean said thoughtfully, frowning as he considered the information. "We've gotta be around a thousand A.D. now..."

"Okay Taylor," Michelle said, frowning as she watched him grit his teeth and scowl as je focused on forcing time to keep reversing. "C'mon! Let's go,  _faster!"_

"Hey, how 'bout ya just shut the hell up?" Jake growled, clearly frustrated about Taylors obvious struggle. "He's doin' the best he can!" The pilot growled, as Michelle scowled back at him.

"The idea is, if he can go faster, I can look at him quicker!" The blonde snapped, tossing her hair over her shoulder as Jake continued to glare at her despite the confession.

Taylor ignored them both, focusing himself entirely on the reversal of the great trees timeline. Everything began to blur around him, the islands very coastline fluctuated, warping in a tidal erosion. Finally, the colossal tree of Elyys'tel, began to shrink. He felt the steady pulsing in his chest intensify, the pain in his head magnifying, as Elyys'tel continued to shrink away. Soon, the magnificent tree was but a normal size, amd as Taylor pushed harder for time to reverse, his brow slick with sweat, the mighty tree became a sapling; shorter than he was himself.

"Now!" Diego cried, but Taylor ignored him, the pull in his chest too strong to fight. The tree slipped entirely into the ground, as the others turned to him with expressions of shock and concern.

"What in the heavens are you doing?" Cried Aleister, frowning at Taylors clearly dishevelled state.

"I  _can't..."_  Taylor choked, his body trembling from the effort to force timeline even further backwards against it's flow. "There's... something, I have to see..." He said, rubbing his chest as the ache began to needle with pain.

 _"Taylor..!_  Godammit, I  _knew_  this was a bad fucking idea!" Jake growled, his voice breaking as he stood helplessly beside him. They watched as the sea to the north grew darker, and colder. Glaciers encroached, snow piling around their legs as the ice age claimed La Huerta. Taylor caught a brief flash of image, a sabre-toothed tiger, prowling the dead land sadly.

His hand visibly shook, as he narrowed his eyes, his legs beginning to buckle beneath him as he kept going; diving further into history. "Dude, where are you taking us?" Diego asked, quickly walking over to Taylors other side and exchanging a nervous look with Jake.

"The..." Taylor rasped, his chest aching intensely, as the island shrank away beneath their feet. "The,  _beginning..!"_  He choked, coughing as he felt himself begin to grow dizzy.

"Taylor..." Jake warned, as lava poured up the slope of Mount Atropo, back into the withering volcanic cone. A pterodactyl flew overhead, wheeling on the wind as it raced past them. Taylor coughed, sinking to his knees as he began to pant heavily, his chest blazing with fire as his head throbbed with pain.  _"Taylor!"_  Jake called, crashing to his knees beside him and watching him with a manic gleam of fear in his clear eyes.

"Jake... 's okay..." Taylor whispered pleadingly, wishing he could stop so the awful fear would fade from his pilots eyes. "Nea-" he coughed, a spatter of red falling from his lips as he frowned and forced his grip on tine to remain steady. "Nearly... there... will, let me go... then..." He whispered, as confidently as he could. Jake's tormented gaze ran over him briefly, before he began to shrug his jacket off, wrapping it around Taylor so the pilot could envelope him in his arms and pull him into his lap.

"If you can't stop it, then you can  _damn_  well share the load, Boy Scout..." He said, as he buried his face in the top of his jacket, as close to Taylors skin as he could get without physically touching it. Taylor felt a new rush of strength in his heart, and he gripped it tight, as he forced time to keep going further back. The island slowly disappeared beneath them, leaving just the small, smoking tip of the volcano peeking over the waves. They floated in the warm, prehistoric water as Cetus swam calmly, peacefully nearby.

 _"Aah!"_  Taylor gasped, choking violently as the timeline tried to resist his urgings. He grit his teeth, his free hand clawing against his chest as the intense pulsing grew urgent. He growled, concentrating on the timeline intently, as Jake's arms squeezed tighter around him. At last, the volcano disappeared entirely, and the strange pull in his chest entirely abated as suddenly as it had first begun. He gasped, flopping back against his pilot as he stopped the rewind, his body trembling as the pain in his head spiked.

"Taylor..?" Jake murmured uncertainly, raising his face from Taylors shoulder as he panted, his hands balling into tight fists to avert the pain in his head.

 _"Jake..."_  He whispered, his pained eyes finding his pilots eyes and drinking in the comfort they offered.

"It's okay, Boy Scout..." Jake murmured, his fingers twitching with the desire to touch Taylor and reassure him. "I got you... Ya gonna be okay now..." He said confidently, biting his lip to keep from pressing them to Taylors clammy brow.

Taylor grimaced, groaning as he looked around to see they were all underwater. Once he was paying attention, he was able to feel the currents dancing around him, yet somehow utterly unaffected by the water; able to talk and breathe normally. He huffed a dry chuckle, shaking his throbbing head lightly. "Outside... of time..." He croaked lowly as the others looked around in awe.

"How far back did we go?" Lila asked quietly, trailing her fingers through the water around them.

"My best guess's, based on the lifeforms we saw?" Grace said, her eyes wide as she shook her head in disbelief. " _Two hundred million years.._." She said, her hushed tone awed as she stared around them in wonder.

"Hmm..." Taylor hummed tiredly, his tight grip on time slipping slightly, as he allowed them to drift forward lazily. Everything was peaceful, quiet and soothing; until with a sudden, sharp stab of pain to his temple, it wasn't.  _"Nngh!"_  He gasped, as far below them, an enormous fissure instantaneously opened in the ocean floor. Immediately the pain on his head vanished, and he sagged in his pilots embrace, turning his face toward him so he could meet his gaze.  _"That..._  was not fun..." He muttered, as Jake snorted and rolled his eyes, radiating relief as he seemed to sense the sudden lack of tension in Taylors shoulders.

"No shit." The pilot snarked, his eyes running quickly over Taylor, as he offered the pilot a weak smile. "Any chance of you  _not_  doin' that again?"

"Hmm," Taylor hummed, his hand slipping beneath Jake's jacket so he could pat the pilots cheek reassuringly. "We just have to go forward again now, and I don't think that will hurt... This, whatever  _this_  is... It needed to be seen, but time just... Wasn't so cooperative..." He hedged, wincing at the darkening expression on his pilots face.

"Is  _that_  whatcha call it?" He growled lowly, as Taylor bit his lip guiltily. He cleared his throat and pointedly averted his gaze, leaning forward reluctantly to push to his feet. He was surprised when a hand settled against his arm, and he glanced up to see Diego helping him up, though his expression was similarly as stormy as Jake's.

"Um..." Taylor mumbled, running his hand over the back of his neck nervously. "What's your-"

 _"Don't_  even try it." Diego said firmly, scowling at him as Taylor winced guiltily. "I swear, Taylor... Only  _you_  could scare the shit outta me in a thousand different ways, all in the same goddamn-"

"What the  _hell_  is that?!" Raj's demands cut Diego's rant short, much to Taylors relief, as he turned his attention to the larger boy. Raj was pointing at the fissure, where blinding red light shone out from the earths mantle, rippling in the depths below them.

"That's gotta be it..." Estela said thoughtfully, glancing at Taylor before looking back at the fissure. "Like Taylor said, it's  _literally_  the beginning of the island."

"But, how..." Grace gasped, her eyes locking with Aleister's briefly as they shared a mutual understanding of the impossibility of what they'd witnessed. "What...  _How,_  did that happen?" Grace finally choked out, her words falling out on a steady stream once her blockage was cleared. "There was no quake... no plate movement!"

"Grace is right." Aleister agreed, running a hand over his wind tussled hair. "This... doesn't seem natural."

"What the hell?" Jake murmured, his eyes wide as he stared down at thebfissure and shook his head in disbelief.  _"Why-"_

"I don't know..." Taylor said, anticipating the pilots question before he could finish asking. He felt the ominous sense of foreboding in his gut, but had no answers for why he had been so drawn to the specific moment of time.  _"Yet."_  He amended, shaking his head as he sighed. "I get the feeling I'm not gonna like whatever the reason is though..." He admitted, raising his eyes to Jake's, as he offered the pilot his jacket back.

"Keep it." Jake said, gently closing it around him once more. "Looks good, havin' somethin' of mine on ya again." He said, offering a weak wink which couldn't quite diffuse the sharp concern in his gaze.

"Come on then," Taylor sighed, smiling softly as he drew the pilots jacket around him and inhaled deeply, relishing the old whiskey scent of the fabric. "Let's get back to the birth of the tree. That's when we'll be able to see the Heart." He said, raising his hand and concentrating on the time around them. With a better grasp on how to manipulate the sands of time, Taylor moved them forward, time blurring around them again until they returned to the moment they'd seen the small sapling.

"Now!" Diego cried once more, and Taylor was able to bring a halt to times path around them. The group fell silent, staring at the sapling in apprehensive awe.

"That..." Sean said slowly, breaking the tense silence around them. "That's  _gotta_  be it, right?" He asked uncertainly.

"Cap, for once, I think you're onto somethin'." Jake said, regaining some of his cocky attitude, when he noticed the forward trip through time did not affect Taylor so badly. They stared at the small nest of bone white roots before them, where encased inside, was a brilliant light. It was brighter than any Taylor could ever recall having seen, as even in broad daylight,he had to shield his eyes from it.

"It's..." Grace whispered, staring through the gaps between her splayed fingers, as she held them over her eyes. "So beautiful..."

"You  _found_  it, Taylor!" Michelle cried, her eyes tearing with joy. "Now we can save Quinn!"

"Yeah, but... how're we supposed to get to it?" Raj asked, frowning as they all turned to him in surprise. "I mean, we know where it is now... But what about in the present?"

"But, Raj, we  _do_  know where it is in our time..." Grace said, a mischievous smile curling her lips, as her eyes crinkled with amusement.

"Oh, good!" Raj laughed in relief, grinning broadly, before his face fell into a confused frown. "Wait, we  _do?"_

"Do you see those bone white roots, the Heart was surrounded by?" Taylor asked, a small if somewhat tired smile curling his lips. "There's only one place I've seen those in Elyys'tel... And that's the throne."

"You're right!" Lila gasped, beaming a huge grin over at him as her eyes sparkled with excitement. "The throne in the audience hall is made of those same, bone white roots!"

"At the very center of the tree..." Aleister hummed thoughtfully, his fingers curling around his chin briefly before he looked over at Taylor proudly. "It's a logical conclusion. Well reasoned, Taylor."

"Well reasoned is my middle name." Taylor sniggered, only for Jake to snort quietly beside him.

"Trouble, is your middle name." The pilot muttered, folding his arms over his chest as Taylor rolled his eyes. "Danger, reckless, pain in the ass, hot, idiot, stupid-"

"I can deal with hot..." Taylor said thoughtfully, smirking when the pilot flushed pink. "Didn't think I noticed that one, huh?" He sniggered, nudging the pilot playfully as he bit his lip.

"Hm." Aleister hummed, clicking his tongue against his cheek. "And I thought  _my_  parents hated  _me."_  He said, missing the faint wince Taylor gave at the mention of parents, unable to recall a single memory of his own.

"Come on, then." Sean said, clapping his hands together eagerly. "Let's get back to the present and grab the Heart." He said, pointing at Taylor with a grin.

Taylor snorted, and concentrated, setting time to fast forward. A sapling grew put of the nest of white roots, into a small adult tree. Taylor paused time suddenly, grinning as an idea occured to him. "Grab on!" He said, grinning widely at Jake, as the pilot lips twitched in amusement. "Just like before!" Everyone crowded around the young tree, climbing up into its branches and finding themselves firm hand and foot holds or seats. Jake and Taylor held on close together, facing each other as they grinned excitedly. "Ready?" Taylor asked, as everyone nodded. He set time to fast forward quickly, and the tree streaked skyward.

 _"Whoaaa!"_  Raj cried, as they raced higher into the sky.

"Hang on!" Sean warned, gripping tightly to his branch, as he caged Michelle against the trunk.

Taylor stared at Jake, watching the pilot intently, as sheer enjoyment flooded his face. Everything they'd previously seen in reverse, played back at super speed. Soon, the tree had reached its full height, and they watched in fascination as the city was constructed below them.

"We're back!" Zahra cheered, as Taylor snapped time to a sudden halt, stopping it right at the moment they'd first entered the strange dimension. "Let's go!"

Taylor led his friends over to the throne room at a run, phasing through its heavy wooden doors with a practiced ease. Inside, the prism effect was stronger than ever, the room seeming to repeat infinitely. "This is... kinda making my head hurt..." Raj said, shaking his head against the strange illusionary effect.

"Hang on, we're almost there!" Sean said, encouraging his friends, though his expression showed that he was just as afffected by the illusion.

The throne sat in the center of the room, and extra dimensional light beaming from beneath it, shining through the roots. "There it is..." Estela breathed, her voice unusually soft in its awe.

Taylor knelt down before the throne, reaching forward slowly. His hand passed right through them, and he felt his fingers close around something. "I..." He breathed, a deep sense of hollowness filling his gut. "I  _feel_  it..!" He gasped, as his fingers gently prodded the strange surface. It felt like he was holding everything at once in his hand; rough but smooth, burning hot, yet freezing cold, both round and sharp. He shook his head, and pulled his hand back slowly. It emerged from the roots, holding a ball of pure white light. "I've got it!" He murmured, staring down at the Heart with the sense of hollowness spreading up through his chest.

"Um, what's it doing..?" Diego asked, as it's light intensified, engulfing everything around them. Taylor gasped, for a single moment, certain he could understand everything about the mystery around himself; but the moment passed, and he remembered nothing from his brief enlightenment.

In the bright, blinding light, Jake threw all caution to the wind; taking his hand and lacing their fingers together tightly. "You still with me, Boy Scout?" He called, as Taylor grit his teeth, wincing against the bright light, as it bathed them completely.

 _"Jake..!"_  He gasped, as it finally faded away, his eyes locking onto the pilot briefly, before he threw himself into the pilots arms. He buried his face in Jake's shoulder, as the pilot held him tightly, a deep sigh of relief escaping him at the chance to finally be able to touch Taylor again. Taylor sucked in several deep breaths, his heart thudding painfully against his ribs, as he tried to regain control over himself. With a heavy sigh, he drew back, meeting the pilots gaze and smiling softly, as he tipped their foreheads together. "Still with you, Top Gun." He said quietly, and Jake huffed a small chuckle at the late reply.

Taylor stepped back reluctantly, looking around at last, to find the audience hall back to normal around them. Everyone stared down at the Heart in his hand, a pulsing ball of pure light. "Astonishing!" Uqzhaal called, as he hobbled into the room. "I didn't think you had a chance, and yet it seems you were able to manipulate time to your advantage!" The old man admitted, before his blue skin tinged with red. "I mean,  _ahem..._  Well done!"

"Stick around, Jumanji." Jake snorted, looking at Taylor with a cocktail of emotions so thick, Taylor couldn't identify any specific one.  _"Nothing's_  impossible when Taylors on the job." The pilot said, raising their linked hands to kiss Taylors fingers, closing his eyes and lingering at the soft contact.

"Smooth." Taylor chuckled dryly, admittedly flustered by the pilots gesture.  _"Very_  smooth." He huffed breathlessly, his fingers twitching against the pilots lips, as Jake raised his smoldering gaze to Taylors, and winked.

Taylor bit his lip, utterly ready to fall back into his pilots arms, when he noticed Seraxa standing watch over Quinn, where they'd left her in the secluded corner of the hall. "We recovered the Heart... What do we do now?" He demanded urgently, his eyes darting between the Heart in his hand, and Quinn's motionless body.

Uqzhaal slowly made his way over, delicately taking the Heart from Taylor, who sighed in relief, as he finally felt the awful hollowness leave him with it. The shaman walked over to Quinn, Taylor following to hover close by, gnawing his lip in concern for the redhead. The Heart's pulsing grew stronger, as the shaman placed it gently beside Quinn's head. "Now, we wait..." Uqzhaal finally replied, as Taylor felt his insides squirm with impatience. "And we hope." He added, lowering his head in prayer. Seraxa hesitated a moment, before following his example, and Taylor blinked in surprise briefly; before breaking out in a grateful grin.

"Dudes, I think I need some fresh air after those shenanigans..." Raj said with a heavy sigh, his eyes drifting away from Quinn as he turned to leave.

"Pair that with a drink or three, and you got yourself a partner." Jake said, kissing Taylors fingers once more and giving him a very deliberate wink, before following after the large boy. Taylor bit his lip, clutching Jake's jacket tightly around his shoulders, as one by one the group began to file out of the room, until only Taylor, Craig and Zahra remained; who stared down at Quinn intently.

"Yo, four oh four..." Craig asked, nudging her lightly with his shoulder. "Servers go down or something?" He teased quietly, his eyes concerned as he watched Zahra, watching Quinn. "Come on, you haven't made fun of me in, like, five minutes..." He said with false cheer, grinning broadly as he tried to tempt a reaction from the girl. "Or maybe, you're just too lame to think of a good burn! Ha!" He snorted, his face falling when he received no sign of recognition. "What, no comeback?" He asked nervously, as Zahra turned away suddenly. Taylor caught sight of the incredibly pained expression on her face, and hefriwned in concern as she marched out of the room.

"Bro, we should go check on her..." Taylor said lowly, tilting his head for Craig to lead the way. He followed the jock out of the hall, and by the time they emerged, Zahra was already at the opposite end of the adjoining catwalk. She sat with her legs dangling over the edge, leaning against the railing, as her gaze fell to the sandy beach below.

"What did I do?" Craig mumbled worriedly, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "She's  _never_  like this!"

"Dude, you should go talk to her." Taylor suggested, rolling his eyes as Craig opened his mouth and jerked his thumb over his shoulder to the audience hall, anticipating his comment before he could voice it. "Like, actually  _talk._  About what's on her mind..?" Taylor said, nudging the jock with his elbow.

"B-but... I dunno." Craig stammered, the huge, muscled boy seeming utterly terrified as he stared at Zahra worriedly. "I dunno if she wants things to get...  _real_  like that. At least... not with  _me."_

"Craig, trust me when I say; you're the  _only_  person she wants to get real with." Taylor sniggered, before swallowing his amusement and focusing his attention on his friends. "Dude, she needs you right now." He said quietly, nudging the jock once more towards Zahra.

Craig hesitated, before sighing and scowling in determination. "You're right, bro. I'm being a wimp." He growled quietly, before slowly wandering over to sit awkwardly beside the girl. "Uh, so..." He began hesitantly, clearing his throat ad he floundered for what to say. "That was... pretty wild back there, huh?"

"Go away." Zahra said tiredly, her eyes never leaving the beach below them.

"Yeah, that's what I thought you'd say..." Craig admitted with a chuckle, glancing over at her fondly. "Thing is, I-"

"It's not  _fair."_  Zahra said suddenly, the words seeming to fly from her mouth almost desperately.

"Huh?" Craig asked, cocking his head in confusion. "What's not fair..?" He asked, glancing back att Taylor and spreading hisnpalms helplessly.

"All of this!" Zahra sighed, scowling down at the beach below them, as her eyes glistened with tears of irritation. "Quinn's only ever been kind, and generous, and giving. She's so freaking perfect and pure, it's annoying!" She scoffed, shaking her head as she scratched the shaven side of her scalp in frustration. "And look what happened to her! Look at her luck... And then there's  _me."_  She said darkly, her hands balling into fists in her lap. "Why am I the one who's alive?"

"C'mon." Craig chuckled, nudging her lightly. "You're not  _all_  bad. I mean, I saw you pet a puppy once..."

"I'm a jerk to  _everyone,_  and you  _know_  it, Craig!" Zahra snapped, finally raising her eyes to glare at him, though Craig merely grinned victoriously at the reaction.

"Okay, yeah... That was after you fed it a snail." He admitted, his face falling as Taylor shook his head at his lack of focus.

"People like  _her_  shouldn't be struck down by life, while people like  _me_  coast by!" Zahra spat, averting her eyes from Craig as she shook her head on frustration. "When the rules are rigged, you walk away. That's how I've always played." She said quietly, and the two fell into an awkward silence; the confession hanging heavily between them.

Taylor noticed Taari leaning out of a window nearby, his eyes lighting with joy as he spotted them, and came running over. Giggling, he threw his arms around Zahra, who balked at the sudden touch. "Zah-ra!" Taari cheered, beaming a bright grin at her.

"What the-" Zahra yelped, leaning away from the small child in horror, as Craig sniggered at them.

"Heh, little brat." The jock murmured fondly, watching with obvious amusement as the boy wrapped Zahra in another hug.

"I missed you!" Taari said cheerfully, burying his gleeful face into Zahra's jacket.

Zahra frowned, raising her hand uncertainly, and ruffling the Vaanti child's hair, before sticking her tongue out at him.  _"Bleh!"_  She snorted, before jerking her chin back the way he'd come from. "Now go play, squirt." She said, surprisingly gently.

"Bye bye!" Taari giggled, waving wildly at the two, before he scampered off again.

"At least there's one person whose life I bring  _joy_  into..." Zahra scoffed, watching the blue child as he disappeared into the night.

"More than one." Craig said instantly, though his gaze remained locked onto the horizon ahead of them.

"What?" Zahra yelped, her eyes widening as she turned towards him.

"Yep..." Craig said, a small, mischievous grin curling his lips as he glanced sideways at her. "I think that shaman dude has the hots for you." He said, his expression cracking before he could deliver the comment seriously.

 _"Pfft!"_  Zahra snorted, shoving him playfully as she shook her head, a faint pink tinge to her cheeks.

"Careful," Craig teased, beaming a wife grin at her. "You don't wanna go one on one with me, noob." He sniggered, as she rolled her eyes at him. His expression softened, as he nudged her gently. "But seriously, look... Life  _isn't_  fair. But, that doesn't mean it's rigged." He said, watching as she stars down at the beach below them thoughtfully. "It's like in an RPG. You can level yourself up as much as you want... But in the end, some things come down to a dice roll." He said, turning away as his expression darkened slightly. "In football... You can train hard, come in with a rock solid game plan... then the ball bounces the wrong way, and it's all over." He said quietly, before looking back at her with a wide, knowing grin. "But is that gonna stop you from playing the game?"

"Hell  _no."_  Zahra said quietly, her eyes locked onto her lap as a small grin formed on her lips.

"And, if your luck goes south in  _Gods and Warlords_ , what do you do?" He asked leadingly, sniggering as Zahra laughed.

"You prepare for the worst..." She said slowly, toying with her jacket button. "Make the most of your chances... and work your  _ass_  off to keep your team together." She said, finally raising her eyes to meet his ecstatic grin.

 _"That's_  what I'm talking about!" He cheered, moving his hand in the beginnings of a strange gesture Taylor didn't recognize. Zahra however, grinned widely, as the two of them performed a complicated, multistep; fist bump come hand shake combo. "Heh, haven't done that in awhile..." Craig said, his cheeks staining with colour even under the cover of darkness, as he beamed down at her.

"You... still remember it." Zahra gaped, her surprise palpable even to Taylor.

"Come on, Z!" Craig scoffed, shoving her playfully and averting his eyes. "Of  _course_  I remember it."

The pair quietly stared up at the moon, side by side, until Zahra rested her head upon his shoulder. Taylor raised his hand to his mouth, attempting to contain his joy, as his friends finally repaired whatever damaged had been done to their one time friendship.  _Mission accomplished_... He thought smugly, pulling Jake's jacket tight around his shoulders and burying his grinning face in the whiskey scented fabric.

"What made you come over here anyway?" Zahra asked suddenly, peeking up at Craig curiously.

"Taylor convinced me." Craig admitted, sniggering as he looked down at her. "I thought you were just gonna punch me."

Zahra looked over her shoulder, and Taylor quickly averted his eyes, pretending to study the stars from the safety of Jake's jacket, wrapped around the smug lower half of his face. "Well, there's still time for that yet." Zahra sniggered, turning back to Craig with a playful jab to his arm.

Taylor spun around, leaving them to their moment as he moved towards the grand staircase. He ambled without hurry, enjoying the stars above him as he wandered through the city. "Been playon' match maker, Boy Scout?" He jumped at Jake's too close voice, spinning around to find the pilot sniggering at him, as he leaned against a railing.

"Just... encouraging group relations." He said evasively, grinning down at his toes, before frowning up at Jake. "Hey wait, were you  _following_  me?" He demanded, a scandalized gasp escaping him as the pilot chuckled guiltily.

"Yup." He admitted, stepping closer and taking Taylors hand in his own. His other hand rose to Taylors brow, gently sweeping some of his hair away from where it had stuck to his face. "Seemed like it'd've been a shitty thing for me to interrupt 'em." He said quietly, his eyes dragging over Taylor briefly, before he began tugging him over a nearby bridge.

"Where are we going?" Taylor asked with amusement, following the pilot willingly despite having no idea where the other man was taking him, when Jake's only response was to wink at him. "I thought you were drinking with Raj..." Taylor said, trying to wheedle information out of the pilot to no avail.

"Nah," Jake sniggered, leading him over a second bridge to a small hut. "Been scoutin'." He said, barely containing his own amusement.

Taylor snickered as Jake led him inside, looking around to find himself in a small room with what looked to be basic kitchen surfaces, and a single small cot. "Jake, what exactly were you scouting  _for?_  'Cause I don't see anything worth-"

He was abruptly cut off when Jake spun him around and pressed him back against the wall of the hut, his mouth descending upon Taylors with a hard and desperate kiss, which quickly stole Taylors ability to think past the rapidly surging heat which consumed him.  _"Mmmm!"_  He gasped, reacting instantly, as Jake's hands slid his jacket from Taylors shoulders, tossing his bag aside along with it. He shivered at the feel of the pilots hands against his bare skin, recalling the intensified sensations from their time between dimensions. His hands scrabbled at the hem of the pilots shirt, needing to feel the other mans skin agains his own. They parted only for air, and to yank Jake's shirt over his head, coming together again as one, as Taylor tossed his shirt aside uncaringly. His arms circled around the pilot, fingers digging into the pilots muscled flesh and pulling him closer, as his head tilted to deepen the pilots hungry kiss.

 _"Jake!"_  He gasped, as the pilot drew back for breath, sliding his hands down Taylors sides to grasp his thighs, and hoisting him up onto a counter.

"Now see, I was right..." Jake murmured huskily, winking smugly as his hands tugged insistently at Taylors Vaanti clothing. "Easy to take off." He said, as Taylor rose himself from the surface to let the fabric slide over his ass, and Jake tossed it quickly across the room; his eyes blazing as they locked onto Taylor with a passionate hunger.

Taylor parted his legs to tug the pilot between them, rocking his hips into Jake, and groaning as he wrapped his legs tightly around his sides. His awakening arousal pressed against the pilots hip, as he pulled him into another kiss. His lips captured Jake's, but the pilots tongue was demanding, pressing almost urgently into his mouth as he yielded eagerly to the other man. His hands dropped to his pilots waistband, his fingers making quick work of both button and fly innhis eager haste. His heart thundered in his chest, as he pressed himself against Jake, his tongue eagerly swirling against the pilots as he drew him into an ever deeper kiss.

 _"Mmm!_  ...  _Jake!"_  He gasped, as the pilots fingers curled around his hardening cock, drawing back to rest his forehead against the pilots shoulder. His body arched, as he worked on the pilots trousers, shoving them down the pilots thighs along with his underwear so he could cup Jake's hard flesh in his hand. He arched closer to Jake, twisting himself in an effort to feel as much of the other man against him as he could.

Jake seemed happy to oblige him, the pilots hands roving over him endlessly, as his lips reclaimed Taylors, his tongue thrusting in relentless demand against his own. Taylor groaned, arching into the pilots touch, his body utterly entranced by the pilots hands; responsive to his every nip, squeeze and stroke. "Jake... please..." He whispered, his body heating rapidly with desire, and coiling tightly with need.

Jake groaned, one hand coming to rest at the back of Taylors thigh, as the other squeezed his ass, drawing him closer over the edge of the counter, and providing friction between their hard cocks as he ground his hips against Taylors.  _"Nnh! Jake!"_  Taylor gasped, his eyes clouding with need, as he gazed at the pilot hungrily, his hands clutching him tightly; as if afraid he might disappear any moment.  _"Jake..!"_  He murmured, arching as Jake slowly ground against him again, their eyes remaining locked in a heated exchange of desire as they teased their bodies. Taylors breath hitched, his legs squeezing around the pilots waist, as his fingers dug into the back of his neck. "Please... Jake,  _please..!"_  He pleaded, leaning up to pepper the pilots shoulder and throat with desperate kisses.

"Taylor..." Jake murmured, his neck arching slightly to allow Taylor more room, his fingers digging into his flesh, as he ground their hips together with a growing sense of urgency.

"Hmm..?" Taylor hummed, his body wrapping itself around the pilot as tightly as he possibly could. His lips dragged over the pilots skin, his teeth grazing across the sensitive flesh in varying degrees of desperation. "Jake..." He whispered, his hand sliding over the pilots stomch to curl around his hard cock, stroking him as he thrust lightly into his grip.

"Taylor, I-" the pilot paused, swallowing heavily as Taylor stopped his lather of nips and kisses suddenly, drawing back to meet the pilots aching gaze. His eyes ran over Jake's needful expression, locking onto the way he bit his lip, as his hand lightly stroked the hard flesh in his hand once more. "... I-" the pilot tried again, his sense of desperation and frustration growing as the words seemed to remain trapped in his throat. His clear eyes shone with his intent, and Taylor felt a giddy warm blossom in his heart, scooting forward to steal an urgent kiss from his pilot.

"Me too..." He whispered, almost inaudibly, his lips brushing over the pilot's as Jake drew in a sharp breath, his obvious relief profound in the air around them. "Jake,  _please..."_  He pleaded urgently, guiding the pilots cock to his ass and rocking his hips, brushing his entrance over the head slowly. Jake groaned, his hand sliding from Taylors ass to his hip, holding him still as he pressed forward.

Taylor gasped, arching against Jake as he threw his arms tightly around his neck, sealing their bodies against each other with as much physical contact as he possibly could. "Jake..." He groaned, biting his lip as he tried to grind his hips down, wanting the pilot inside him faster; however, Jake's grip on his hip remained solid, and he was forced to endure as Jake slid himself inside at a torturously slow pace. "Oh  _god..."_  Taylor whispered, his body aching with desire, as Jake watched him squirm with impatience.

"Hmm..." The pilot panted, his forehead resting against Taylors, as he finally sheathed himself fully within his ass.  _"Definitely,_  like that look on ya..." He muttered, his hands sliding over Taylors bare skin as he tugged him sharply against him.

 _"Hhn!"_  Taylor gasped, his body sparking with jolts of pleasure, as Jake brushed the point deep within him that made his nerves twitch as he saw stars.  _"Jaaaaake..!"_  He groaned, as the pilot chuckled and began to kiss his throat urgently.

"Patience's overrated anyway..." The pilot muttered darkly, as he began a steady pace of thrusts. He groaned as he nipped his way along Taylors jaw, claiming his lips in a hungry kiss, as their bodies rocked together. His hands cupped Taylors ass, holding him tight against the edge of the counter, as his movements increased.

"Jake, please..!" Taylor moaned loudly, his fingers clawing at Jake's shoulder as he pulled him closer, the pilot thrusting into him as desperately as kissed him. He curled one hand into the pilots hair, as Jake groaned and lowered his face to Taylors throat, burying his face there as he hungrily devoured the flesh. "Jake,  _hnng... Mmm!"_  He panted heavily, his neck arching as Jake gave into Taylors demands and began to rock harder within him. Taylor gasped, a string of praise and curses alike falling from his lips as Jake struck the bundle of nerves in his ass with calculated precision. His body was racked with pleasure, waves coursing through him as he clutched the pilot ever tighter against him.

He bit his lip, trying to stem the tide of sounds escaping him, but Jake drew back and pressed fevered kisses along his jaw, as his hips rocked hard and insistent against Taylors. "Uh uh," the pilot panted, sealing their lips in a brief but passionate kiss. " _Show me_..." He groaned, his fingers squeezing Taylors ass as he thrust deeply into him, drawing a loud gasp from him as his fingers curled tightly in Jake's hair.

 _"Jake..!"_  Taylor cried as his body tensed, pleasure racing through him like fire, as the pilots fingers curled around his cock. His lips collided with Jake's in a rapturous kiss, his body spasming as his release swept through him, and his ass clamping snugly around Jake's cock within him. His mewls and gasps were eagerly swallowed by the pilot, as he buried himself within Taylor, his shoulders tensing as his cock pulsed rapidly.

With their bodies sated, Taylors kiss turned gentle, his fingers loosening in the pilots hair as he brushed it from his face. He arched against the pilot, inhaling deeply as he shifted himself on Jake's cock, desire stirring within his heart despite their recent orgasm. "Hmm, guess you just make me insatiable too..." He muttered, as Jake drew back to caress his cheek and drink in his satisfied expression.

"What's tha-  _nnh..."_  Jake's question choked off suddenly, as Taylor slowly shifted his hips against him, squeezing his ass around the pilots deflating cock with a mischievous grin. "Holy  _shit,_  Boy Scout..." Jake groaned, resting his head against Taylors shoulder, as he laughed lightly and carded his fingers through the pilots damp hair. "You're gonna kill me with sex..."

Taylor sniggered as the pilot mumbled against his shoulder, before he hissed suddenly, at the sharp nip which was quickly lathered by a warm tongue. "Hmm, I don't think that's too likely.. But if you're that worried, we can always stop-"

"Heh, not a chance." Jake scoffed quickly, raising his head to meet Taylors amused gaze with his own. "I ain't givin' up somethin' that good, even if it  _does_  end up killin' me." He snorted, as Taylor bit his lip to hide his grin.

"So uh, what is this place anyway?" Taylor asked, changing the subject, as he glanced around the small hut curiously.

"Dunno," Jake admitted with a snicker, his nose trailing along Taylors jaw as he pressed slow kisses along his throat. "Saw it was close an' empty." He said, as Taylor laughed and accepted the kiss the pilot pressed against his lips eagerly.

"You're terrible." Taylor sniggered, eyeing his pilot with fond amusement, as Jake sighed and finally pulled away from him gently. He set his legs back on the floor, wincing slightly as he wobbled, and leaned back against the counter. He caught Jake watching him with blatant smug amusement, and he swatted his arm playfully as his cheeks flushed pink. "Shut up." He muttered, as Jake sniggered.

"Didn't say a thing," the pilot said, flashing him a cocky grin and a meaningful wink.

"You were  _thinking_  it." Taylor accused, and the pilot shrugged guiltily in response. Taylor rolled his eyes and moved away to find his clothes, pulling the Vaanti shorts on quickly, as he scooped up Jake's shirt and twirled it around his finger with a grin. "You uh, you gonna be wanting this back?" He asked, as Jake finished re-buttoning his trousers and looked over with a raised brow.

"Why? Ya cold?" Jake asked, prowling closer as Taylor backed up against the wall with a giggle.

"No, just holding it hostage so I can look at you longer." Taylor admitted, stuffing the shirt behind his back as the pilot reached for it. "You'll have to pay the tax for it, if you want it back..."

"Heh," Jake chuckled, his skin connecting with Taylors gently, as his body caged him against the wall. He trailed kisses across Taylors shoulder and up his throat, as his fingers thread themselves into his short hair. "Keep it..." He whispered, as he tilted Taylors chin up, and claimed a deep kiss from him.

Taylors arms rose around Jake's shoulders, locking his body against him as their lips moved with a familiar ease against each other. Taylor smiled, his heart light as Jake's tongue swept against his own languidly, the urgent fire replaced by a gentle flame of desire. He hummed, leaving back against the wall as Jake busied himself with pressing light, scratchy kisses to his collarbone. "I could let you do that forever..." He sighed breathlessly, his fingers running through Jake's hair as the pilot groaned.

"Any chance you ain't gonna finish that sentence, so I can?" The pilot mumbled against his skin, as Taylor sniggered and gently eased him back.

"I wanna go check on Quinn..." He admitted softly, pushing Jake back gently, as he slowly crossed the room. "Once I'm back, you can do lots,  _lots_  more of that..." He promised with a small grin.

"Whoa, what the-" the pilot choked, as his knees struck the small cot, and he fell upon it to the sound of Taylors amused chuckle.

"Wait  _right_  here," Taylor said, leaning down to press a lingering kiss to the pilots forehead. "I just... I need to see if she's..." He said hesitantly, his grin faltering slightly.

"Sure you don't want me to come with?" Jake asked, his eyes clouded with concern. Taylor shook his head, painting his grin back into place as he chuckled.

"No, I want you to  _wait here_." He said with a smirk. "I have some  _very_  definite plans about what should happen for the remainder of the night, see..? But, they don't pan out, if you're not here waiting." He said quietly, stepping back before Jake could grab him and tug him down to the bed. "Rest up, Top Gun..." He sniggered, as he made for the door, glancing back briefly to throw his pilot a wink. He laughed as Jake flopped back on the cot with an impatient groan, stepping out of the hut with a deep sigh of affection. He shook his head fondly, and jogged quickly back along the path Jake had dragged him down earlier in the evening. He reached the bridge where he'd left Craig and Zahra, to find they'd departed for the night, and he bit his lip as he wondered how long he'd actually been gone.

He took a deep breath, and headed back into the grand hall. His face fell, his heart beginning to race with fear, as he stepped inside to find the room empty. "...Hello?" He called hesitantly, hoping everyone had just gone to sleep, and moved Quinn to a proper bed; as she was nowhere in sight. "Where..? Hello?" He called again, more insistently, panic surging in his heart.

Uqzhaal peeked out from behind the throne, his crimson eyes wide and fearful as he waved him away. "Catalyst!  _Run!"_  He called frantically, gesturing towards the door. "Save yourself!" The shaman cried, glancing up and ducking back behind the throne.

Taylor looked up, as a hovering figure descended from the darkness above, his jaw dropping in shock. Quinn's hair floated around her face, as if underwater, moving unnaturally slow compared to her rate of descent. Her eyes glowed an emerald green, as she hovered in the air above, staring down at him with an unblinking gaze. " _Where is it.._?" She demanded, so forcefully that each word sent a shockwave through his body, causing him to fall to his knees.

"Oh god..." He gasped, his chest aching as he raised his disbeliving gaze to his friend.  _"Quinn?!"_  He called, shaking his head in confusion. "Where's what..?" He asked, his eyes drawn to where Quinn cradled the Heart in her hands.

Her eyes crackled with sparks of green energy, as she sank slightly closer to him, regarding him thoughtfully. " _The other half.._." She whispered softly, the strange power behind her voice brushing over him gently. The air changed suddenly, her hair rising behind her as if blown by a strong wind, as her expression morphed into a heavy scowl; her voice raising to a deafening, furious roar. " ** _What have you done with the rest of me?!"_**


	9. Let's Promise We'll Do This Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty bummed out if I'm honest. I really should have had this finished and almost ready for posting last night - but I got all depressed that I made a cock up (not a good one) and I went to sleep instead. I feel awful for it, but I have stocked up on my RockStar Punched and will be starting the new chapter tonight because I am determined to get two - if not three chapters out this week dammit!
> 
> Thankyou for being so patient - for reading at all, really! Please don't hesitate to tell me if this chapter is awful because I'm not exactly keen on it myself... I hope its not as awful as I feel it is though, cuz that would suck... (again, badly) 
> 
> Thankyou so much for reading, I love you all so so so much and hope to be back for you all again in a couple days!
> 
> x My love to you all x

_**Dear Jake;** _

_Did I make the right choice? Maybe I was wrong, not to tell the others... But I've always said that it's not my place to be delving into everyone's personal lives...  
Huh... somehow, I always seem to be though... Don't I?_

_Quinn was saved though, and so... I can't regret any choice which spared such an amazingly vibrant life from such a cruel fate..._

_To be honest, that entire day was just, a blur of awesomeness... I think it was the first time we'd relaxed fully in... God, too long. And, even with a slight... issue... at the end of the day; I was so happy. I'm always at my happiest when I'm by your side, but damn... Even after countless lifetimes together, when I should be ready for anything you throw at me... you **still**  manage to find ways to surprise me_...

**9.**

**Let's Promise We'll Do This Again**.

Taylor dropped to his knees, panting heavily as his hands slapped against the hard floor, barely able to keep from collapsing completely, beneath the power exuding from above him in waves.  _"Kch!"_  He coughed, pain radiating from his chest as he forced his eyes up to the possessed Quinn, who floated in front of him, her eyes crackling with acid green energy.

" _The other half_." She said, her voice distorted by the power behind it. " _Where... is... it?_!" She demanded, her expression morphing into a furious scowl, as she hovered in the air above Taylor.

"Qu... Quinn, I-" Taylor gasped, struggling to sit back on his knees, raising a hand to his aching heart. He shook his head, staring up at his friend in awe and concern, as pain swept through his chest. "I don't know! I-"

Quinn's glowing green eyes narrowed, as she spread her arms and sent out a shockwave of energy, which made the entire room tremble.  ** _"Where?!"_**  She cried, as Taylor hung his head, pain reverberating through his chest.

The old shaman, cowered behind the bone white throne, and trembled with fear. "That isn't your friend anymore, Catalyst!" Uqzhaal called, waving for him to flee. "You must save yourself!"

Quinn floated toward Taylor slowly, the air around her shimmering like asphalt on a hot day, as she approached. Taylor felt his throat constrict, watching her with a broken gaze, his eyes glittering with unshed tears of guilt and concern. Taylor grit his teeth and forced himself to ignore the pain radiating from his chest, as he pushed himself to his feet. He staggered towards her, his hand outstretched as his eyes met her possessed gaze pleadingly.

"What are you _doing?!"_ Uqzhaal cried, staring in wide eyed disbelief, as Taylor growled under his breath and forced himself to keep moving towards his friend.

"Please, Quinn..." He gasped, his free hand pressing against the sharp stabs of pain, radiating from deep within his chest. "I don't know what's going on..." He coughed, sucking in a huge gulp of air, in an attempt to steady himself. "But, I  _know_  you're in there, somewhere..."

Quinn hovered above him, her glowing green eyes void of any emotion, as her expression remained blank. She showed no signs of recognition, remaining stoic in the air, her gently waving hair the only sign of movement. "Can you hear me?" Taylor pressed, forcing his leaden feet to carry him closer, his fingers stretching toward the redhead. "Quinn?" He called, his voice breaking as his heart clenched, combining with the pain flooding from his chest.

Quinn's face flickered briefly, a confused frown forming, as she slowly looked down at her own hands. Her voice echoed with a low rumble, like the churning of ancient mountains. " _Who... is this.._?" She whispered.

 _"Aah!"_  Taylor cried, as he dropped to one knee at the overwhelming surge of pain which blew through his chest like a gunshot.

"Run, you fool!" Uqzhaal yelled, leaning around the throne to glare at him.

 _"No!"_  Taylor growled, panting as he looked up at Quinn pleadingly. "I'm  _not_  leaving you, Quinn." He promised, gritting his teeth as he shoved himself up from the floor. "Not like this..." He panted, reaching out to graze his fingers against her cheek. As soon as his skin touched hers, they both froze, eyes wide at the sudden connection. Taylor coughed heavily, fighting against the pain in his chest, as Quinn's glowing green eyes met his; an understanding buried deep within them which he couldn't quite decipher, until she blinked suddenly, and they returned to her normal vibrant blue.

"...Taylor?" She asked quietly, as she collapsed forward weakly. Taylor caught her, trying to stem the storm of coughs escaping him, as he gently lowered her to the floor, before falling to his knees and giving into the sensation.  _"Taylor!"_  She gasped, her trembling hand on his shoulder, as he coughed heavily. When the pain in his chest finally began to fade, the fierce wave of coughing eased. He wiped his arm over his sweat drenched face and twisted, collapsing to a lazy sitting position and gasping for breath.

"Quinn..." He panted, his fingers brushing her hair from her cheek. "Are you okay?" He asked, as she choked and grabbed his hand tightly between her own.

 _"Me?!"_  She scoffed, her eyes running over him worriedly. "What about  _you?"_  She asked, running her hand over his shoulder. "Should I find Jake-"

 _"No!"_  Taylor gasped, gripping her fingers tightly, as he tried to calm his breathing. "No, I'm okay now... I promise. I'll tell him later-"

"That's what you said last time." She said, scowling at him knowingly. Taylor winced guiltily, but accepted the rebuke without complaint.

"Quinn..." He asked, changing the subject back to her.  _"Please,_  are you okay..?" He asked insistently, as Quinn looked around the audience hall, suddenly realising where they were.

"W-what happened?" She asked, her gaze confused as she turned to Taylor. "What's happening..? We were..." She paused, swallowing heavily as she frowned thoughtfully.

"You don't remember?" He asked gently, squeezing her fingers lightly as he searched her eyes curiously.

"I remember... sitting outside with you..." She said hesitantly, frowning as she tried to piece her memories together. "We were... talking... and then..." She looked around the room, bewildered as she failed to remember anything further. "How did I get here?" She asked, as Taylor hung his head and sucked in a deep breath.

"You passed out..." He said quietly, his voice thick with the repressed emotions he'd felt when Quinn had collapsed in his arms. "Michelle said it was the final phase of your Rotterdam's... That you'd fallen into a coma." He explained gently, as she jerked backwards, looking down at herself in panicked confusion.

"But, how am I here then?" She asked, her voice expectant of bad news, until Taylor snorted and shook his head fondly.

"We weren't about to give up on you..." He said gently, nudging her arm playfully. "We couldn't... So, we drank some spirit sap from within the tree, and went on a journey through space and time." He said, sniggering lightly at her startled expression.

"Uh, come again?!" She yelped, her eyes wide as she stared at him in disbelief.

"It's a  _long_  story." Taylor huffed in amusement, his gaze softening as he watched her absorb the information. "But, we found it." He said fiercely, gripping her hand and squeezing it tightly as she met his gaze curiously. "The Islands Heart. The  _only_  thing, that could save you. Uqzhaal took the Heart, and he did this ritual, and..."

"You brought me back." Quinn guessed, taking a deep breath to steady herself for what she expected to be bad news. She swallowed and straightened her spine, focusing her watery smile on Taylor. "I... How much time do I... have left now?" She asked, frowning when Taylor flashed a small smile at her.

"That is no longer the question." Uqzhaal said gently, leaning on his staff as he hobbled closer. "The disease, has been shed." He explained, smiling softly at her wide eyed confusion.

 _"Shed?"_  She asked, frowning between Taylor and the Vaanti shaman, her brows raising as Taylor sniggered and shifted himself to sit forward, leaning his arms on his knees.

"Like a dead, unneeded leaf." Uqzhaal said amusedly, as Taylor rolled his eyes at the shamans long winded explanation. "You are  _cured,_  Delphinus."

Quinn stared at Taylor with wide eyes, frantically searching his eyes for confirmation. "I'd say I told you so, but-" Taylor laughed, as Quinn gasped, her hands covering her mouth in surprise, as it dawned on her she was truly cured of the awful disease which had defined her life. She grabbed Taylor and drew him into a tight hug, holding him close as she both sobbed and laughed into his shoulder.

"I'm _cured?!"_ She cried, tears of stunned happiness rolling down her cheeks, as she drew back to beam a great smile at Taylor. "I don't know how to thank you..!" She sniffled, wiping her eyes as she laughed.

"I can't tell you what a relief it is to have you back..." Taylor laughed softly, beaming right back at her as a profound joy swept through his heart.

"The other Catalysts were quite worried about you." Uqzhaal informed her, resting his hands upon the top of his staff, his crimson eyes flooded with kindness as he smiled down at her.

"Well," she giggled, grasping her hands behind her back. "No need to worry about me anymore apparently!" She said, sighing in wonder at the thought of finally being free of her disease.

"Quinn..." Taylor said hesitantly, his smile faltering as he recalled her possessed state when he entered the throne room. "Uh, about that..." He hedged, as Quinn frowned at him curiously. From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Uqzhaal, putting a finger to his lips.

 _"Ahem!"_  The shaman cleared his throat loudly, drawing Quinn's attention to himself. "Perhaps we needn't trouble her with such things, while she still needs to recover!" He suggested, offering Taylor a pointed look.

"After all she's been through, she deserves to know." Taylor said with a frown, turning back to Quinn as she pouted at him. "And she deserves to know now..."

"Know what?" She asked, her expression growing guarded as she prepared herself for the drop side of her miracle cure.

"Right when I first came back..." Taylor began, biting his lip as he tried to find the words to explain. "You were awake, but... you weren't... _yourself."_  He said, his heart aching as Quinn's breath escaped her in a strained gush.

"What do you mean?" She cried, her eyes widening as she stared at him in confusion. She bit her lip, her eyes darting quickly to Uqzhaal, before returning to Taylor as he sighed.

"You were talking in this deep voice, and saying all this creepy stuff about your 'other half'..." He said, biting his lip and wincing as he continued. "Also... you were, uh... _flying."_

"I was  _what?!"_  She gasped, raising her hands before her to stare at them in disbelief.

"It was kinda like you were..." He hesitated, searching for the right word, before he sighed, and admitted with heavy reluctance; _"Possessed."_

Quinn fell silent, biting her lip as she looked down at the sighed, running her hands through her hair anxiously, as she sat straighter. "I'm so sorry to lay this on you so soon, when we should ne celebrating..." Taylor said, his expression twisting with grief and guilt. "But... you deserve to know."

"So..." Quinn sighed, her eyes welling with tears again, as she huffed a dry and unamused chuckle. "I'm  _not_  cured after all..." She said bravely, visibly trying to swallow down her disappointment.

"But you are. The disease  _is_  gone. It's simply that..." Uqzhaal said kindly, his crimson eyes compassionate as they fell on her sadness. "Something may have taken it's place... The powers of the island are often too great to comprehend."

"The point is," Taylor said quickly, taking her hands carefully in his own and meeting her gaze determinedly. "Don't worry yourself thinking about it, until we understand more."

"And perhaps it is best if we do not worry the others about this either..." Uqzhaal said pointedly, tipping his head slightly as Taylor turned towards him with a scowl.  _"For now."_

"This is all just..." Quinn sighed, burying her fave in her hands briefly, before sucking in a deep breath and meeting Taylors concerned gaze with her own despondent one. "So much to take in..." She said, shaking her head as she noticeably brightened. "But... thank you, for being honest with me, Taylor."

 _"Always."_  Taylor said softly, wincing as he realised he was going to have to be similarly honest with Jake when he got back to whatever hut they'd hijacked as their own for the night.

"I'm going to go take a walk..." Quinn said, easing herself to her feet. "I think... I need some fresh air." She said, sighing as she straightened her blouse.

"Of course, go ahead!" Taylor said, trying to push to his feet, only to find himself winded, his chest aching from the pain he'd endured. "I uh, I'll catch up with you later..."

"Oh no, you don't," Quinn laughed, reaching down to help him up. "I'm walking you  _straight_  to Jake so you can fill him in on whatever just happened to you." She said, giggling when Taylor groaned pitifully.

 _"Quinn!"_  He whined, as he pouted at her, his legs wobbling briefly before he manage to steady himself. "I had  _plans_  for tonight... You're gonna spoil  _everything."_  He said accusingly, glaring at her balefully as she giggled harder.

"You two are incorrigible..." She laughed, her eyes dancing with amusement. "Besides, I'm sure you'll think of some way to convince him." She giggled.

Taylor muttered under his breath, turning to call a farewell to Uqzhaal over his shoulder, only to notice the shaman was bending over to pick something up off the floor. "What do you have there..?" He asked, taking a hesitant step towards the shaman.

"It's the Island's Heart!" Uqzhaal said reverently, staring at the object in his palm with obvious awe. "So  _this_  is what it truly looks like..." He breathed in wonder, offering it to him.

Taylor grimaced, hesitantly reaching forward and plucking it from the shaman's hand with a wince, almost expecting the pain in his chest to return. When nothing happened however, he sighed I relief, and set about examining what appeared to be a large spherical geode. "What happened to it?" Taylor asked, tactfully keeping it away from Quinn, as she shivered at the sight of it.

"Perhaps it has adjusted to our plane of existence..." Uqzhaal hummed thoughtfully, spreading his palms uncertainly. "Its glow may have faded, but you can still sense its power." He said, as Taylor frowned down at the crystal. True to the shamans word, he could feel its energy humming through him, a muted version of the shockwaves Quinn had sent out. His chest prickles with pain in time with the steady pulse, and he grimaced as he curled his hnd around it tightly.

"It looks broken, like half is missing..." He said, sensing a faint tinge of wrongness to the words, but unable to pinpoint what about it was bothering him.

"You said I was asking about the 'other half' when I was... possessed..." Quinn said hesitantly, glancing at the Heart in Taylors hand and shuddering at the power it exuded.

"Very strange indeed..." Uqzhaal mumbled, shaking his head thoughtfully. "If this is only a fragment of such a power... imagine what a complete one could do."

"Uqzhaal... What was that back there?" Taylor asked, glancing at Quinn briefly, before looking back at the shaman. "I had to tell Quinn... But, I don't want you to be scared." He said, squeezing her hand gently. "Especially when... it was  _me_  insisted we do this for you."

"I understand why you felt compelled to tell her. I simply wished for her to solidify her hold on life before..." Uqzhaal paused, glancing to Quinn's frowning face briefly before pushing on. "Facing this new development."

"Uh,  _she_  is right  _here."_  Quinn said scathingly, scowling between them both as they shifted guiltily. "Taylor was right to tell me... I've never been in control of my own body, that's nothing new to me, but  _knowing_  about it at least gives me a chance to fight it..." She said firmly, before averting her eyes, her cheeks flushing pink to clash with her vibrant hair.

"So..." Taylor said, coughing as he hid a grin and turned back to the shaman. "You...  _don't_  know what it was?"

"Not  _entirely."_  The old man hedged, shifting his weight on his cane, his expression falling as he shook his head.

"Well,  _that's_  comforting." Quinn snorted sarcastically, rolling her eyes, as she turned back to the pair of them.

"When the Heart restored you..." Uqzhaal explained slowly, carefully choosing his words before voicing them. "It did so, by filling you with its energy... Perhaps, some of its spirit, its  _soul..._  Now resides within you also."

"Wait, wait... Lets just, bibbity bobbity, back the fuck up here..." Taylor said, his eyes widening as he tried to absorb the shamans words. "You're telling us, that Quinn is possessed by... what? The spirit of the island?" He asked, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Not possessed..." The shaman said evasively, frowning thoughtfully.  _"Inhabited."_  He said, turning towards Quinn with a small smile. "It lives within you now, like a passenger."

"Or a  _parasite."_  Quinn said, sighing as she turned away from them both, staring out the main doors into the night air outside.

They remained silent for a long moment, before Uqzhaal nodded reluctantly. "Indeed." He said quietly. Taylor watched with a deep wrench of guilt in his heart, as Quinn chewed her lip, her concerns easy to read in her expressive eyes.

"Uqzhaal... Am I.." She began hesitantly, peeking up at Taylor with an indecipherable jumble of emotions. "Am I... Safe..?" She asked hesitantly, swallowing thickly as she turned her eyes to the shaman. "My friends... Am I going to be okay to be around them..? Or is this... this  _thing_  going to take control of me again..?" She asked desperately, her gaze pleading in its intensity.

"I do not know..." Uqzhaal confessed with a dejected sigh, his crimson eyes flooding with regret. "Nowhere in the ancient texts does it say that the Heart has been used in this way before..." He admitted, running his fingers through his long beard as he grinned up at them in sudden excitement. "It is a truly  _remarkable_  story! Perhaps the key to unlocking the islands true power-"

"I don't care about the story!" Taylor growled, rubbing his chest with his free hand, as the painful waves increased their intensity. "I just want to know if Quinn's going to be okay!" He said, his frustration building as he grimaced in pain.

"I'm sorry, Catalyst." Uqzhaal said sadly, spreading his palms helplessly atop his cane. "I do not have the answers you seek. No one does." He shook his head, hobbling around them as he moved towards the throne beginning to tidy up. "Know that you have both been granted the most precious gift you could ever ask for... Time."

"I don't think 'time' is the greatest gift to Taylor..." Quinn giggled, trying to deflect her concern. "I think Jake has a different gift he gives him-"

 _"Quinn!"_  Taylor cried, flushing red with embarrassment at her implication, before grinning proudly. "She's right though... and speaking of-"

 _"Taylor!"_  Quinn giggled, successfully distracted from the Heart and its dormant spirit within her. "Honestly, what an I gonna do with you?" She sighed, shaking her head fondly as he waggled his brows at her suggestively.

"Well, I believe you said something about getting me to Jake..." Taylor said with an eager grin, only to groan after taking only a few steps. "Oh man, this is gonna put a serious kink in my plans for the night."

"I'm sure Jake won't mind a little kink-"

 _"Quinn!"_  Taylor yelped, giving a scandalized gasp as she giggled and wrapped his arm over her shoulder, helping him shuffle towards the doors.

Uqzhaal shook his head at the pair, and Taylor pretended he didn't hear the old mans sigh as they stepped out of the chamber, or his final words on the subject; "Remember also, that every gift, in the end, comes with a price."

Taylor swallowed, pushing the shamans ominous words aside as he winced, and leaned on Quinn as she helped him return to the small hut he'd acquired for them. "I don't suppose there's any chance you'd forget all about telling him-"

"None." Quinn said cheerfully, cutting of Taylors question before he could even finish asking. He rolled his eyes and sighed, half leading and half directing, as he shuffled along beside Quinn. She helped him inside, and they were equally surprised to find the pilot absent, though his jacket and Taylors bag remained in the corner.

"He must be out finding a drink..." Taylor said, his heart falling slightly, at the thought of his pilot not waiting for him.

"Or looking for you..." Quinn suggested with a reassuring smile. "Who knows how long we were in there..." She added, glancing around the small room and barely suppressing a giggle.

"Quiet you." Taylor groused, dropping onto the bed heavily. "Not a word." He said, his lips twitching with amusement at her mirth, as he dragged his bag over and stuffed the Islands Heart deep into the bottom. He instantly felt immensely better, and he sighed in relief as the pain faded from his chest. "Do you wanna rest? You can have the bed, I'll wait up for Jake anyway..." He said, as she hesitated, biting her lip.

"Are you sure..? I don't wanna interrupt..." She said, gesturing through the door. "Besides, I was gonna go for a walk..."

"Yeah, and you still can, obviously... But, if you want to rest a bit first, then feel free." He said, patting the bed lightly. "You've been through a lot." He said quietly, as she sat down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder.

They sat together in companionable silence, until Taylor realised Quinn had actually fallen asleep on him. He panicked briefly, flashing back to the moment on the bridge when she had collapsed, but when he moved to lay her down; she smiled, and he immediately relaxed as he laid her on the bed. He was about to cover her with Jake's jacket, when he hesitated, a slither of selfishness cutting into him, as he instead found a blanket in a small cupboard and covered her with that, swinging the pilots jacket around his own shoulders.

"Ya know, I find it weirdly hot, that you ain't prepared to share that." Jake's voice made him start guiltily, and he quickly hurried over to usher the pilot out of the hut. "So, what happened to 'very definite plans' exactly?" Jake asked, a blatant pout on his face as he ran his eyes over Taylor.

"Well..." Taylor hedged, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "About that... How are you with improv..?" He offered weakly, as Jake folded his arms over his chest and frowned at him. Taylor grinned, stepping closer to his pilot as he tiptoed his fingers up the other mans arms. "I mean, unless you're fine with waiting..." He sniggered, as Jake snagged his hands before he could draw away.

"Ya know sure know how to push a fella, don'tcha Boy Scout?" Jake murmured, as Taylor peeked up at him cheekily.

"Hmm, only you..." Taylor admitted with a snigger, breaking off into a light groan, as Jake leaned forward and pressed a specifically slow and deliberate kiss against his throat. "Okay,  _wow..._  You do it way better than me..." He murmured, shivering as he felt Jake grin against his skin, moving on to a second lingering kiss straight after the first. "Oh..." He gasped quietly, craning his neck to allow the pilot better access, as the pilots kiss caused heat to swirl through him in waves.

"Hmm," Jake hummed, nipping at Taylors earlobe sharply. "Now, what am I supposed to do with you... now ya gave away the bed..?"

"Didn't even use it last time..." Taylor mumbled breathlessly, and Jake snorted with amusement at the reminder, as he slowly maneuvered Taylor up against the outside wall of their commandeered hut.  _"Mmm,_  yeah... This seems familiar..." Taylor muttered, hissing as Jake grazed his teeth over his shoulder.

"You're way too cocky," Jake muttered, pressing close against him as he kissed scratchy kisses along his throat. "You're trying to hide somethin'." He accused, as Taylor gasped at a well placed, gentle bite on the sensitive skin near the base of his neck.

"This is  _not_  me cocky, but I will happily show you that, so you can differentiate in future..." Taylor breathed, arching against Jake as his body yearned for the pilot.

"I thought I was supposed to be the insatiable one?" Jake sniggered, amid a quiet bark of laughter, his kisses trailing higher once more.

"You're obviously infectious..." Taylor said, failing to keep a straight face as he giggled. "You just keep getting it into me..." He snorted, as Jake groaned and covered his mouth with his own, ceasing his babbling with a kiss. His lips parted against Taylors, his tongue sweeping across the line of his teeth to lazily explore his mouth. Taylor felt heat pooling in his gut, rising through his stomach and spreading through his chest as Jake kissed him until he was utterly breathless. He moaned, arching himself insistently against the pilot, as his arms curled around him.  _"Mmm..."_  He groaned lowly, as Jake slid his leg between Taylors, gently applying pressure to his rapidly hardening cock.

"Ya know," Jake murmured, drawing away just enough to drag in several quick gasps for breath. "I should just leave you in this state." He mumbled, as Taylor busied himself pressing fervent kisses along the pilots jaw. "Given as you  _abandoned_  me and then gave away the bed..." He muttered darkly, as Taylor nipped his collarbone.

"I'd never abandon you..." Taylor mumbled, grinning as he rolled Jake's shirt up, pushing it up over his head quickly before falling back into his path of kisses along the pilots collarbone. "I just... temporarily postponed  _this..."_  He said, his hand sliding beneath the pilots waistband to palm at his cock, as he grazed his teeth over the junction of Jake's shoulder and throat.

"Aw  _hell,"_  Jake groaned, rocking his hips into Taylors hand and burying his face in the side of his throat, laying hungry kisses along the column of sensitive flesh. Taylor grinned, using his advantage to spin the pilot suddenly, flipping them around so he could press Jake firmly against the hut wall. "What the-" the pilot began, only for Taylor to silence him with a blistering kiss of passion and desire. His tongue slid against Jake's teasingly, barely dancing around the dominant muscle, as he squeezed Jake's hard cock briefly, before freeing his hand to fumble with the button and fly of his trousers.

Taylor pressed himself flush against Jake, as the pilot cupped his cheek with one hand, drawing a deep moan from the pilot as he freed his cock and stroked him slowly. He drew back slightly, watching his pilots expressions melt into each other, placing a teasingly light kiss to his lips, before slowly kissing his way down his chest. "Taylor, wa-" Jake broke off with a hiss, his head falling back against the hut, as Taylor dropped to his knees, his tongue flicking against the head of his cock as he looked up from beneath his lashes. He kissed his way along the shaft, his mouth never fully leaving the hard flesh, as he caressed and teased it with his tongue. When his lips finally parted around the head, it was to a string of curses from the pilot which any other time, might have made him blush. Now however, he chuckled, and Jake's hand flew to tangle in his hair, as the action reverberated through his cock. "Holy  _fu-"_  Jake choked, staring down with wide eyes as his cock disappeared into Taylors warm mouth.

Taylor hummed, sinking lower around the pilots cock, sucking lightly as he drew back and forth, massaging the pilots balls in his palm as he moved. He peeked up at Jake, a rush of power flooding through him at the rapt expression on the pilots face, heightening his own arousal. He curled his tongue around the head of Jake's cock, licking away the heading pre-cum before sucking him deeper into his throat. "Taylor..." His pilot choked, and Taylor glanced up as the pilots hips rocked lightly, his cerulean eyes glassy with desire. He hummed with false innocence, his eyes wide as he peered up at Jake, and slowly lowered his mouth around the pilots cock, until his nose grazed against skin. " _Holy shhh_..." Jake groaned, as Taylor swallowed around him, his tongue tracing along the large base vein a he withdrew.

"Jake McKenzie, lost for words..?" He asked innocently, drawing back to gaze up at Jake in heated amusement, stroking his cock steadily as Jake's hips rocked into his hand.

"Don't worry, Boy Scout... I recover quick..." Jake muttered, his thumb caressing the back of Taylors neck in encouragement. "I'm gonna have to get a damn warnin' label for you..." Jake gasped, as Taylor kissed the head of his cock, before sinking lower around him once more.

 _"Hmm,"_  Taylor hummed, his heart racing as Jake groaned, his hips rocking as Taylor set a teasing pace, swallowing around the pilots cock at random to intensify the sensations he felt.

"Holy fuck..." Jake gasped, as Taylor gave a sudden harsh suck, sinking to the base of his cock and dragging his tongue alone the underside as he withdrew. "You-" Jake broke off, his head falling against the side of the hut as Taylor sucked him with a fervour, his movements increasing as the desire to see his pilot come undone consumed him. As Taylor bobbed back and forth along the pilots cock, Jake rocked his hips to meet his motions, his fingers alternately soothing and gripping at Taylors short hair.  _"Taylor-"_  Jake breathed, his gaze lowering to find Taylor watching him intently.

Taylor felt heat coil in his gut, the intense affection in Jake's eyes drawing a moan from him as he moved faster. He palmed at his own cock with his free hand, pushing his arousal aside, as Jake's fingers slowly curled behind his neck, his balls tightening in Taylors palm. He flicked his eyes upwards, as Jake's hips shuddered, his fingers clutching tightly in his hair, as his cock began to pulse.  _"Hnnh!"_  Jake groaned, his lashes fluttering against his flushed cheeks; his release immediately swallowed away, as Taylor swept his tongue gently along his sensitive flesh, prolonging his orgasm. He watched as Jake muttered under his breath, a string of drawling curses and praises alike as he rode the high Taylor had brought him to. He wrinkled his nose as he drew back, ready to crack a smart comment, when Jake dropped to his knees and captured his lips hungrily. "You..." The pilot huffed, as he drew back to run his thumb over Taylors cheek, his lips tracing along his jaw. "Are  _insanely_  addictive..." He murmured, and Taylor laughed lightly as the pilot pushed him back against the floor.

"I..  _hnm!"_  Taylors words broke off with a hiss, as Jake's hand dove beneath his shorts, his fingers encompassing his cock in a firm grip.  _"Jake!"_  He gasped, his hands gripping the pilots arms, fingers digging into the skin as his hips rose from the ground eagerly. He craned his head back as Jake leaned over him, covering his throat in hot kisses which sparked fire in his heart. He arched into the pilots grasp, as Jake stroked him firmly, drawing moans and whimpers from him, until he bit his lip hard enough to re-open his healing wound.

Jake's lips rose from his throat, descending upon his own and forcing him to release the wounded area, which he lathered with gentle but insistent swipes of his tongue. Taylor groaned, his arms rising to lock around the pilots shoulders as his body surged with heat, tensing as his climax struck him.  _"Mmm!"_  He gasped, his jaw falling slack as Jake sucked at his injured lip, chuckling smugly.

"Well, that weren't exactly how I  _planned_  for that to end..." Jake said, peering down at him in amusement. "But... was still damn hot to see."

"Your ego is never gonna let me forget this, is it?" Taylor asked, feigning a heavy sigh, as Jake sniggered and nipped his shoulder.

"Not bloody likely." The pilot murmured, and Taylor laughed quietly at the smug grin he could feel against his skin.

"Guess I better work on something to make this seem less memorable then, huh?" Taylor hummed thoughtfully, as Jake snorted and rolled onto his side, propping himself on his elbow as he leaned over him.

"Everything about you is memorable." Jake said, and Taylor bit his lip as his cheeks flushed with warmth, his heart swelling under the pilots gaze. "So, good luck with toppin'  _that."_  He sniggered, the fingers of his free hand, trailing along the curve of Taylors neck.

"Hmm, well... what about uh, totally random, utterly sporadic and completely hypothetical conversations?" Taylor asked innocently, and the pilots fingers instantly stopped moving, his brow raising pointedly. "Uh, more like,  _confessions..._  even..?" He hedged, his fingers toying with Jake's dog tags, as he avoided meeting the pilots eyes.

"How'd you hypothetically confess somethin', exactly..?" Jake asked slowly, as Taylor bit his lip and winced guiltily.

"With uh, a great deal of... Um, thought and effort?" He asked, grinning hopefully at the pilot, though he quickly ducked his eyes again at the other mans stormy expression.

 _"Taylor_  -" Jake growled, scowling at Taylor knowingly, as he squirmed guiltily.

"It was an accident!" He finally exclaimed, unable to find any better way to explain himself. "I just went to check on her, and it... I..." He trailed off, floundering for words as he rolled onto his side and buried his face in the pilots throat. "It was  _not_  my fault!"

"Dammit, Taylor..." Jake sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration, as he flopped onto his back. "Why the hell is it ways you?"

 _"Technically_  it was Quinn first this time..." Taylor mumbled rebelliously, curling into the pilots side and gently drawing patterns on his shoulder with his fingers. "It just...  _shifted,_  after that..."

"What the hell happened?" Jake sighed, and Taylor winced briefly, before filling him in on everything which had occurred in the time they'd been apart. "I can't even leave you alone for a second, can I?" Jake sighed, tiredly scrubbing his hand over his face, as he absorbed the new information.

"That's not exactly the reaction I was expecting, but I'll take it..." Taylor said with a chuckle, kissing the pilots shoulder before peeking up at him cheekily. "Does this mean we're back to the whole 'never leave my side' thing?" He asked, smiling when the pilot snorted and wrapped his arm around him to pull him closer.

"Never bloody left." Jake grumbled sullenly, squeezing his shoulders briefly as he sighed heavily. "Was actually wonderin' if locking you in a safe room, I personally built, would even keep you outta trouble..." He huffed, shaking his head as he turned towards the hut. "What about Ariel?" He asked, averting the subject slightly.

"She's fine, a little out of it I guess..." Taylor said, running his hand over Jake's chest, his fingers mapping the muscular flesh to memory. "Not exactly every day you find out your lifetime illness was erased..." He said quietly, as Jake hummed on agreement. "Think she'll be seeing the world a little different in the morning..."

"Yeah, no shit..." Jake said, rolling his eyes as Taylor nudged him playfully. "But then again maybe not, if she's got this...  _thing,_  hanging over her in its place." He added thoughtfully, as Taylor frowned worriedly.

"Well, we won't let her." He said firmly, pushing himself to his knees and hopping to his feet, offering his hand to the pilot. "I think we can reassure her... And, if we keep her away from the Heart itself, I don't think she'll be affected. It seems to need physical contact to uh, possess her." He said, pulling Jake to his feet beside him.

"Oh, joy." Jake snarked, rolling his eyes. "Where is the Rotten Rock anyway?" He asked with a sigh.

"In my bag..." Taylor admitted reluctantly, as Jake scoffed and looked away. "It seemed like the best idea, at the time."

"Of course it did." Jake snorted, shaking his head as he looked up at the stars briefly. "Well lets just, make sure it stays there, okay?" He sighed, his eyes falling to Taylor, riddled with concern. "Wasn't bad enough with the stupid idols, now I got a haunted crystal to try keep ya away from." He muttered, as Taylor sniggered briefly, before grimacing at his uncomfortable clothing.

"Come on, I wanna get changed before we go to sleep." Taylor said, rolling his eyes at the amusement which bubbled in the pilots expression. "Don't even think of saying it." He warned, jabbing a finger into the pilots chest as he scowled at him.

"Didn't say a thing, Boy Scout." Jake protested, though the cocky grin he wore belied his innocence. "I was only thinkin' it'd be a shame. I kinda like that outf-"

"Then you shouldn't have made it dirty." Taylor snarked, turning away from the pilot as he stomped back towards the entrance to their hut.

"How the hell's it  _my_  fault-"

"Because!" Taylor huffed, as Jake scooped up his shirt and pulled it over his head, his amusement obvious from his wide grin. "Every time you touch me you drive me crazy! Then earlier... You were all, you know...  _blissful!_  And then you-"

Taylors embarrassed babbling cut off abruptly, the pilot silencing him with a firm kiss. Their eyes met, as Jake withdrew, wearing a grin so brilliant, it almost blinded Taylor. "Ya know, it is utterly ridiculous you can be that hot, while spouting such sappy crap." The pilot snickered, as Taylor flushed and rolled his eyes.

"Shut up," he mumbled, shuffling through the door to find Quinn still sleeping. He gently opened his bag and grabbed Jake's camo gear, moving to the far side of the small hut to remove his Vaanti shorts quickly, only to feel a warm body press against his back.

"Boy Scout, if ya tryin' to tempt me... Ya succeedin'." Jake murmured in his ear, his hands sliding down Taylors sides slowly, as Taylor giggled and swatted at them playfully.

"No...  _no!"_  He whispered firmly, quickly throwing the camo gear on to cover himself. "Quinn's in here."

"Then let's go back outside," Jake drawled, burying his face in Taylors throat and teasing the skin with a hot, open mouthed kiss. "You can't seriously expect me to see you go commando in my clothes, and not wanna-"

 _"Jake!"_  Taylor giggled, wriggling out of the pilots grasp as he gave him back his jacket.  _"Shh!"_  He whispered, gesturing to where Quinn was sleeping on the cot.

Jake groaned, throwing his arms into his jacket sleeves, before sliding to the floor against the wall of the hut, pouting up at Taylor balefully. "Oh please, don't gimme that look." Taylor snorted, sinking down to sit beside his pilot, leaning his head on the other mans shoulder. "You should be plenty satisfied with yourself already."

"I wasn't able to touch you all..." Jake hesitated, before shaking his head with a snort. "However long it was, it was too damn long. I got withdrawal symptoms."

Taylor buried his face in Jake's chest to keep from laughing, not wanting to wake his sleeping friend. "Well, your withdrawals will just have to wait til tomorrow," he sniggered quietly, as Jake huffed and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, drawing him down to the floor beside him. "I am going to  _sleep_  now." He added firmly, jabbing a finger into the pilots chest.

Jake grinned, his eyes flashing with delight as he rolled over Taylor, who laughed quietly and wrapped his arms around the pilot despite himself. "Five more minutes!" He snickered, before leaning down and stealing another kiss from Taylor.

When the pilot finally rolled away again, considerably longer than five minutes later, Taylor was breathless and his heart content. He hummed quietly to himself, as he traced patterns on the pilots torso, and drifted to sleep in his arms. They slept heavily, the exertions of the day finally catching up to them, and when Taylor finally woke the following morning; it was to find himself alone in the hut, and on the bed at that. He scowled, irritated to have been so manhandled, without having been  _manhandled._  He snorted, and shook his head at his own idiocy, before pushing to his feet with a groan. He grabbed his bag and quickly refreshed himself, before heading out to find his pilot, and his friends. He made his way towards the throne room, thinking to ask Varyyn for help tracking down the others, but as he cane to the platform outside; he found Quinn, the rest of their friends gathered around her in an excited huddle. As soon as they saw him, they let out a great group cheer.

"We did it, Taylor!" Raj cried, pumping the air with his fist excitedly. "We saved Quinn!"

"And all it took was a lil' trip through Time And Relative Dimension In Space!" Diego cheered, ignoring the confused frown Craig sent him.

"When we get back, I am  _so_  publishing this in a medical journal!" Michelle exclaimed, beaming a wide smile at Quinn, as she held her hands and bounced excitedly with her.

Taylor blinked, his smile faltering somewhat as he was reminded of his friends desire to leave the island. He hung his head briefly, before firmly shoving his stinging grief aside, determined not to ruin Quinn's moment of joy.

"Curing Rotterdam's Syndrome in mere hours?" Aleister snorted, a smug grin curling his lips. "Let's see my father do  _that!"_  He snorted, folding his arms over his chest proudly.

Grace ran forward and gabbed Quinn in a huge hug. "I'm  _so_  happy you're okay!" She gushed, beaming a wide and happy grin at the redhead.

"Thanks, Grace!" Quinn giggled, looking around everyone with a guilty scratch of her head. "I'm sorry I gave you all such a scare!" She said, beaming around them all fondly.

Taylor smiled, leaning against the throne room wall, when he caught movement in his peripheral vision. He turned to see Varyyn approaching him, a pleased grin on his face. "Truly, this is a blessing." The Elyyshar declared, gazing around the laughing and playful group, as he came to a halt by Taylor. "I am touched to see you all so happy... There has been enough pain in this city already." He said, his face falling.

Taylor hesitated, before rubbing Varyyn's shoulder tentatively, offering him support. Varyyn blinked at him, clearly surprised by the gesture, and Taylor huffed a quiet laugh at the expression he wore. "You're right. There has been enough pain..." He said quietly, squeezing the Vaanti leaders shoulder gently. "So, it seems like a good time to make fresh beginnings."

"Indeed," Varyyn agreed, copying the gesture and squeezing Taylors shoulder lightly. "That, means a lot, Taylor. Thankyou."

"Uh uh, thank you." Taylor said, shaking his head as he gestured towards Quinn. "We never could have saved her, if it weren't for your insistence Uqzhaal helped us..." He said, releasing the Vaanti's shoulder as he straightened. "I can never repay you for that."

"But -"

"I know, I..." Taylor hesitated, looking over at his friends and spotting Jake, laughing along with them as they cheered Quinn's recovery. "I've been judging you for something which wasn't entirely your fault... What happened, wasn't permanent. Jake's okay, Quinn's okay... Everyone's okay. And really, that's all I care about right now; that those I love are okay."

"That is, an admirable outlook." Varyyn said, considering Taylors words thoughtfully. "I will do my best to follow this mantra myself..." He said, and Taylor frowned briefly, before shaking his head and painting a smile on his face, as the others joined them. "Now..." Varyyn said, raising his arms towards them all. "We can begin the Valinorim!"

 _"Yeaaaaaah!"_  Raj cheered enthusiastically, as Taylor snorted in amusement. "The Valinorim!  _Ha!"_  He cried excitedly, before frowning suddenly. "Uh, what is that?"

"It is one of our oldest rituals." Varyyn explained, looking around them all with fond affection. "After the coronation of a new Elyyshar, we celebrate with a day of feasts, games and drinks!"

"You had me at 'drinks.'" Jake said, offering Taylor a cocky grin and a wink. Taylor sniffed and pointedly turned his attention to Seraxa, fighting a grin when he caught the pilot frown from the corner of his eye.

"Only fools waste the Valinorim intoxicated." The war chief scoffed, folding her arms over her chest inperiously. "For the strong willed, it is a day of fierce competition... And the pawning of noobs!"

"Uh..." Taylor choked as Zahra and Craig began to snicker together, his eyes widening as he stared at the green woman in shock.  _"What_  did you just say?"

"Did I mistranslate?" Seraxa asked, her face falling in disappointment. "I thought I heard Zahra say that earlier..."

"Damn right I did." Zahra snorted proudly, bumping her fist against Craig's.

"Most of my people will be gathering down at the beach." Varyyn said, his excitement growing as he grabbed Diego's hand suddenly. "Come! Let us join them!" He said, leading the group toward the elevators quickly, as Taylor sniggered at them all.

"Hey, what's with the silent treatment, Boy Scout?" Jake asked, sidling over to cage him against the wall.

"I thought you could 'handle' the silent treatment?" Taylor said innocently, sniggering when Jake barked a surprised laugh.

"Well, that just bit me in the ass, didn't it?" The pilot scoffed, his eyes trailing over Taylor fondly.

"Wait til next time I'm giving it to you." Taylor snorted, swatting the pilots arm when his brows raised suggestively, a cocky grin curling his lips. "The  _silent treatment!"_  He clarified, feeling his cheeks burn as he rolled his eyes.

"Which, you never actually explained why I was receivin' anyway..." Jake pressed, leaning forward to kiss Taylors shoulder, only for him to squirm away.

"Hey, I woke up alone and somewhere I did  _not_  fall asleep!" Taylor scolded, pouting as the pilot began laughing. "I'm glad I'm so amusing to you..." He huffed, pretending not to noticed the upward curve of his own mouth.

"Wait, so..." Jake said, his smugness growing as understanding set in, while Taylor scowled at him. "You're mad at me, 'cause I didn't wake you up with sex?" He sniggered, boxing Taylor against the wall as he tried to wriggle away.

"You even moved me to the bed!" Taylor growled, his fingers curling in the pilots jacket lapels, as he pouted up at him. "Don't you want me anymore..?" He sulked, lowering his eyes to hide the amusement in them.

Jake pressed himself fully against Taylor, the prominent bulge of his growing arousal grinding against his groin, as he leaned close to his ear.  _"Always."_  The pilot husked darkly, his breath tickling Taylors throat, making him shiver with anticipation. "Ain't a moment passes, I don't want ya, Boy Scout..." The pilot promised, pressing a firm kiss against the side of Taylors throat. His lips parted, teeth grazing before he sucked at the area harshly, drawing back with an amused chuckle to meet Taylors stunned gaze several moments later. "But... You were exhausted, so I figured I'd give you some time to recharge." He said, grinning broadly as he winked at Taylor cockily.

"Did you just..." Taylor gasped, his fingers tracing the new sore spot on his neck. "Did you just give me a  _hickey?!"_  He demanded, wincing at the sharp prickle of pain from the area.

"Me?  _Nah..."_  The pilot sniggered, eyeing the mark proudly. "Dunno what you're talkin' 'bout..."

"Oh my god, you  _tramp stamped_  me!" Taylor cried, his cheeks flaming as he met the pilots smug gaze with wide eyes.

"Just makin' sure ya don't doubt my affections again." The pilot said, snickering as Taylor tried to wriggle away. "Okay, okay, look; I promise to wake you up with sex every mornin' in future,  _regardless_  of how tired ya are." Jake said seriously, though his small snort gave away his amusement.

"I am  _not_  having sex with you again until this mark is gone." Taylor said seriously, narrowing his eyes at the pilot.

 _"What?!"_  Jake yelped, his own eyes widening in shock. "Ya don't mean that..!" He said, his eyes searching Taylors expression for signs of his teasing.

" _Try me_." Taylor growled, using the pilots shock to wriggle his way free of his hold.

"Boy Scout, come on now..." Jake said, grabbing his arm to stop him leaving. "If its really that big a deal, then I'm sorry! There's gotta be something I can do to make it up to ya though! How 'bout a kiss?" He asked hopefully, as Taylor yanked his arm free and spun to face him.

"If you can get me to kiss you today," Taylor scoffed, his expression thoughtful as he eyed the pilot. "I'll not only let you fuck me again, I'll let you do it right over Varyyn's damn throne!" He snarled, before storming away.

"Challenge accepted!" He heard Jake call after him, and he paused as he stepped around a corner, his expression finally dissolving into hysterical giggles which he hastily muffled with his hand. The memory of the pilots genuine concern over his threat, brought tears of laughter to his eyes, and he leaned against the wall as he fought against his amusement.

When he finally felt in control of himself again, Taylor cleared his throat and wiped his eyes, before moving after his friends towards the elevator. He found Sean, waiting by the great lift, who grinned as he approached. "Hey Taylor... Man,  _what_  did you say to Jake?" The athlete asked, raising a brow when Taylor immediately broke out in a fit of giggles again.

"Its a long story," he sniggered, stroking the mark on his neck fondly, as his eyes danced with amusement. "Suffice to say, he's under the impression he has to work hard for my approval today now." He said, grinning widely as Sean laughed.

"Wow, and he believed that?" Sean asked, eyeing the mark on Taylors neck briefly, before averting his gaze. "Guess you guys have really got it bad then, huh?" He chuckled quietly, as Taylor shifted uncomfortably.

"I uh, can't really speak for Jake, but..." He hedged, coughing briefly before pressing on. "I do, yeah. He's uh, he means a lot to me... Doesn't mean I'm not gonna make him work for it sometimes though." He said, chuckling awkwardly as he ran a hand through his hair.

The athlete remained quiet for a moment, before he grinned and met Taylors gaze again. "Well, whatever you're doing is certainly making him work... I guess, you're a good influence on him." He said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder to the elevator. "You shoulda seen the speed he came through here!" He added, as Taylor sniggered. "But uh, that wasn't why I waited actually." Sean said suddenly, picking up a small stack of clothes. "I figured these would fit you... I mean, if you're thinking of playing some of the outdoor games, you might want to wear something for the occasion." He said, offering the bundle to Taylor with a light blush. "I thought these might suit you... I grabbed 'em back at the hotel." He confessed, as Taylor shook them open to find a matching vest and shorts.

"Wow, Sean! Thanks!" He said, raising a brow at him briefly. "You've been carrying these... for me... Since we left The Celestial?" He asked pointedly.

Sean ducked his head guiltily, and Taylor immediately felt bad for his light hearted jibe. "Sean, I..." He began, only for Sean to laugh as he raised his head again.

"It's okay, Taylor." He said, rolling his eyes at Taylors guilty expression. "You've never led me on. Hell, you made your feelings pretty damn clear from day one, really. Can't blame a guy for trying though, right?"

Taylor frowned down at his new clothes, recalling his previous conversation with Sean, back when they were locked in the time loop. He wished desperately, that the athlete could have remembered their talk from that point, but the memory was instead to be forever locked away within his own mind. "I'm sorry... But, for whatever reason; Jake is all there is for me." He said slowly, and Sean nodded knowingly, a small wry grin on his face.

"Yeah, you two kinda make it obvious." The athlete sniggered, as Taylor flushed guiltily, biting his lip as his fingers found their way to the mark on his neck. "No hard feelings, man. Now, go change, Taylor." Sean said, rolling his eyes as he pushed him away slightly.

Taylor glanced around, and ducked back behind the wall he'd hidden behind during his laughter fit. He quickly dug through his bag and found some underwear, peeling off Jake's camo gear and tossing it into the top of the bag, before pulling on his new clothes. He stepped back around the corner, as he tied the laces at his waist, grinning broadly at the athlete. "Thanks, Sean!" He chuckled, as Sean eyed the outfit appreciatively.

"Damn, Taylor..." He said, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "You look..."

"Good?" Taylor asked, his eyes crinkling in amusement as the athlete chuckled dryly.

"I was gonna say 'ready to go kick some serious ass.'" Sean said, rolling his eyes at him. "But to answer you; yes, Jake will absolutely notice you in it."

Taylor sniggered, hiding a his guilty grin as best he could as he rocked on his toes. "So; is a cross-species tournament, on a magical island, your number one sports dream?" He asked, as they moved towards the elevator.

"Uh, it's basically  _Space Jam_." Sean scoffed, turning towards him as they stepped onto the lift and began to descend. "And I'm  _all_  about  _Space Jam."_  He said seriously, as Taylor laughed.

When they reached the bottom of the elevator, he spotted the rest of their friends heading towards the beach eagerly, Jake trailing along at the back with a noticeable bounce in his step. Taylor snickered, wondering if the pilot had guessed at his feigned irritation, or whether he still believed it to be genuine. He and Sean began to follow after them, when he spotted Quinn pacing alone by a small bridge, a look of melancholy on her face. "I'll catch up, dude." He said to Sean, waving as the athlete jogged ro Cath up with the others, before heading after Quinn.

He found the redhead staring out at the ocean from a small bridge above a rock pool, her hair blowing gently in the breeze. He sidled up beside her, nudging her gently and drawing her from her solitude. "Hey." He said softly, grinning when she jumped slightly.

"Oh! Hi, Taylor!" She said, turning and doing a double take of his new clothes. "You look awfully cute in that!" She gasped, winking at him conspiratorially. "Has Jake seen it yet?" She asked meaningfully.

"Not yet... He's uh, under the impression I'm mad at him." He admitted, sniggering as she giggled, when he showed her the mark on his neck. He watched her laugh for a moment longer, before gesturing towards the beach. "You gonna head down to the games?" He prodded gently, drawing the topic to Quinn.

"Yeah, I just..." Quinn sighed, her eyes clouding with guilt and confusion as she turned back to the ocean. "I need a moment to collect my thoughts."

"You've been through a lot..." Taylor said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and squeezing gently.

"It's not just that..." Quinn sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder as she frowned out at the horizon. "It's, well... it's trying to figure out,  _who_  I even  _am."_  She confessed quietly. "My  _whole life,_  has been defined by my illness. Every  _moment,_  every  _choice..._  It's always been there, in the background of my mind." She explained, her expression souring as she recalled her past. "I'm Quinn, the Dying Girl. That's who I've  _always_  been." She scoffed, shaking her head as she lifted her head from Taylors shoulder and stepped away, wrapping her arms around herself. "Even if I never told anybody, all because I wanted it to never define me... somehow, it still defined me to  _myself."_

"You were always more than that, Quinn." Taylor said reassuringly, shaking his head as he reached over and deliberately squeezed her hand.

"Sure." She snorted dismissively, drawing her hand away to clench it into a tight fist. "I found ways to cope. To be happy. To live." She spat resentfully, and Taylor blinked in surprise at the vehemence in her usually cheerful tone. She shook her head, sighing loudly as she raised her clear blue eyes to meet his concerned gaze. "But, I always knew that my time was limited. That I'd never... get to grow old, or get married. I'd never... get to have kids of my own." She said sadly, averting her gaze as she hugged herself tighter.

"Quinn..." Taylor sighed, as Quinn shook her head, her eyes glistening with tears.

"I'd  _accepted_  all of that, Taylor." She said firmly, glaring out at the calm waves. "I'd come to terms with it. And now... Just like that, it's all fixed?" She said, her face twisting in disbelief.  _"Poof,_  all cured, all better?" She demanded, shaking her head so forcefully her hair shook in waves around her. "I know it's weird but... I  _don't_  know how to accept that."

"Quinn." Taylor said firmly, stepping forward and grasping her arms determinedly, refusing to let her squirm away again. He ducked his eyes to meet her own, forcing her to see his sincerity. "It's  _okay,_  to feel sad."

Quinn stopped struggling suddenly, her eyes widening as she stared at him in surprise. "It  _is?"_  She asked, her voice small and uncertain as Taylor nodded slowly.

"Sure." He said warmly, chaffing her arms with his hands gently. "I mean, in a way, I think it's fine for you to mourn..." He said slowly, smiling at her as she blinked in surprise. "Someone  _did_  die back there, Quinn... The  _old_  you." He said, poking her nose gently, and laughing quietly when she wrinkled it in response. "The  _sick_  you. The person you've been your  _whole life,_  is  _gone._  You've been reborn, and given another chance. Granted an opportunity, to be someone new. And yeah, you should be happy about that..." He said, tipping his head thoughtfully, before smiling down at her again. "But, you can be sad about the other you, too. Everything takes adjustment."

"Is that what Jake says when you guys are-"

 _"Quinn!"_  Taylor gasped, as she giggled at the red suffusing his cheeks. "Honestly, I give a heartfelt speech and all you wanna know about, is Jake's dick..." He muttered, burying his face in his hands as Quinn laughed louder.

"I'm sorry, Taylor... You make things too easy." She giggled, her eyes alight with north, as Taylor huffed and rolled his own. "Taylor..?" She asked quietly, several moments later. He glanced back at her, a suspicious brow raised at the ready, only to fond her stepping close to lean her head against his shoulder again.  _"Thankyou..._  You really understand." She said, as she wrapped her arms around him.

He snorted in amusement, ruffling his hand in her hair fondly, before nudging her gently. "So, you wanna go check out the festival?" He asked, grinning widely as he waggled his eyebrows.

"When I was sick, I always tried to live life to the fullest..." She said thoughtfully, as she drew back with an excited grin. "And that's one part of me that will  _never_  change!" She laughed, as she raced off ahead of him. "Let's go!" She called, laughing when he easily caught up to her.

They ran across the sand by the vase of the tree, over to where a huge festival had been set up. All around they could see the Vaanti mingling and playing games, eating from delicious trays of fruit and meat on long tables. A Vaanti band played a bouncy tune on flutes and drums, while children laughed, and couples danced. "Wow..." Quinn gasped, gazing around in awe. "I can't believe we ever thought they were our enemies."

"To be fair, the chasing and weapon waving was a big part of it." Taylor snickered, before breaking out in a broad grin. "Dunno about you, but I'm pretty happy they're not."

"I think Diego probably feels the same way..." Quinn giggled, and Taylor laughed.

"Oh, you noticed that too, huh?" He sniggered, shaking his head fondly. "Yeah, he think's he's being all 'subtle' right now." He added, as Quinn laughed harder.

"How is he  _subtle?!"_  She gasped, covering her mouth with her hand as she laughed, while Taylor shrugged and spread his palms in reply. The redhead giggled, looking around quickly before turning back to Taylor. "Any sign of our friends?"

"If there's a bar, I can guarantee we'll find Jake." Taylor sniggered, his fingers unconsciously grazing his neck. He looked around, and saw Diego, Varyyn , Craig and Michelle wading into the sea, holding sparring staffs. "Oh,  _that_  is gonna be hilarious..." He said, directing Quinn towards them with his finger.

"We're really gonna do this, huh?" Diego asked, his eyes wide as he looked between his staff, Varyyn and the water, in rapid succession. "We're  _really_  doing this?" He repeated nervously, as if to clarify to himself.

Taylor was about to head over, when Quinn grabbed his wrist with a giggle and pointed to Raj, who was sat at a long wooden table; with huge plates of food in front of him. "An eating contest? Sign me up!" He cheered excitedly, grinning smugly. "You're about to fond out why they call me Raj 'Bottomless' Bhandarkar..! And it's  _not_  because I don't wear underwear!" He crowed, as Taylor shook his head and forcibly forced himself not to envision the picture Raj had painted.

He looked away for a distraction, and saw Aleister, Grace and Zahra were huddled by the edge of the jungle with Uqzhaal and Taari. "These riddles are confounding!" Aleister exclaimed, shaking his head at whatever clue they'd read from a list.

"Relax." Zahra scoffed confidently, smirking as she winked at Taari. "We're gonna crush this scavenger hunt."

"So, what do we do first?!" Quinn giggled excitedly, her eyes darting between their friends.

"Well, the scavenger hunt and Raj's eating contest will probably take awhile..." Taylor said thoughtfully, a slow grin forming as he pointed towards Diego and the others once more.  _"That,_  however, is not gonna last long." He sniggered, quickly leading Quinn over as she giggled. They joined the others to the sparring area, wading through waist deep water to a dozen narrow wooden posts, sticking straight up out of the tide. Balancing precariously on the posts, were two teams; Diego and Varyyn, versus Craig and Michelle. "Diego, dude... What made you think this was a good idea, exactly?" Taylor called, laughing when Diego wobbled as he turned towards him.

 _"I have no idea_!" Diego yelled back, his eyes wide as he tried to find his centre of balance. Taylor sniggered at his friend, and noticed that each of them held a wooden sparring staff, as Craig began to flip his around wildly.

"Let's do this, bro!" He cheered, a huge grin on his face as he hopped excitedly on his post, surprisingly nimble om his feet. "I am all about this American Gladiators shizz!"

"Hey, careful, you giant oaf!" Michelle cried, wobbling as she dodged his flailing staff. "You almost hit me with your stick!"

"Sorry, Meech!" Craig guffawed, puffing his chest out as he wiggled his hips. "The Craig Train don't stop for nobody!"

"That sounds like a pretty ineffective train!" Diego snorted, finally gaining some confidence as he managed to balance himself on his post.

 _This is gonna be so good_... Taylor thought, laughing to himself before they'd even begun. He bounced on his toes eagerly, the water splashing around his waist, as Varyyn raised one hand for silence, from his position on his post, and the Vaanti spectators immediately fell quiet at the gesture.

"Friends." Varyyn called, his voice warm as he smiled around the crowd gathered to watch. "Guests. Citizens of Elyys'tel!" He called, receiving a brief but wild round of applause from everyone listening. "I welcome you to this Valinorim, this great celebration of our tribe, our city, and our heritage; dedicated... to my mother's memory." He said, faltering slightly at the mention of his mother, but recovering quickly enough that Taylor expected most people hadn't noticed. "Since the ancient times, the Vaanti of Elyys'tel have celebrated with games to prove our skills... show our strength... to test our minds... and come together as one!" He cried, to a fiery cheer of agreement from the Vaanti gathered around him. "Games make us smile. Games make us cry... And, games bring us together as a people!" He said, shooting a wry grin at his spectators when a wild cheer ran through them. "Now then,  _shall we begin_?!"

"So uh, what are the rules here?" Michelle asked, standing tall on her post, her staff leaning lightly against her hip.

"You fall in the water, you're out." Varyyn said simply, gesturing to the water beneath them. "When both members are eliminated, the team is defeated... There, are no more rules." He said, twirling his staff gracefully, as he assumed a low combat stance.

"Uh, is it too late to switch teams?" Craig cried, eyeing the Elyyshar's display nervously, as a nearby Vaanti blew a loud horn, gesturing for them to begin.

 _"Hrrrf!"_  Varyyn hissed sharply, leaping forward to another post expertly and swinging his staff.

"Nice try!" Michelle huffed, barely managing to block the Vaanti's strike.

 _"Raaaaaagh!"_  Craig bellowed as he charged forward, jabbing wildly at Varyyn. Varyyn dodged every thrust, but was driven back by the jocks attacks.

"Craig! Focus on Diego!" Michelle ordered, watching from behind Craig to assess and plan. "He's the weak link!"

"You don't have to  _say_  it!" Diego exclaimed in mock offense, as Varyyn managed to deflect one of Craig's thrusts. He spun around and slammed his staff into the back of Craig's calf.

 _"Ow!"_  Craig yelped, before growling and launching himself at Varyyn once more, whole Michelle tore at Diego. He jumped to the side to dodge, barely balancing on a post.

 _"I regret_   _everything!"_  He cried dramatically, as the crowd roared and cheered at the display. Taylor laughed as he watched his friends battle it out, and finally added his voice to the crowd.

"You got this, Michelle!" He called, pumping his arm in the air as he cupped his other hand around his mouth. "Show 'em how it's done, Craig!"

"Hell yeah!" Craig cheered, nudging Michelle with his elbow. "Taylor's rooting for us!" He laughed, as he dodged a blow from Varyyn and began another barrage of his own.

 _"Obviously."_  Michelle preened, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she beamed back at him briefly. "Taylor knows how to pick a winner."

"Aw, come on, Taylor!" Diego whined, pouting in betrayal as Taylor sniggered guiltily. "I don't even get an underdog pity cheer?" He asked, as Michelle and Craig charged together, striking from both sides. Varyyn tried to block Craig, but the attack was merely a ruse. Craig dodged to the side, and barrelled into Diego instead. "This is why I stick to video games!" Diego cried, as Craig hit him with a powerful shoulder slam, sending him flying off the post's edge. He splashed into the water with a final dranatic cry;  _"Nooooo!"_

 _"Diego!"_  Varyyn cried, turning to see his companion had been eliminated.

"Eyes on me, buddy!" Michelle growled, as she rushed at him and hurled her staff. He deflected the attack in surprise, just as Michelle hopped to a post behind him, and delivered a devastating series of two finger jabs along his back.

 _"Aaaack!"_  Varyyn gasped, his eyes widening as he staggered forward with a wince. Michelle smirked, giving him a delicate push with her fingertips, and he easily toppled off the edge of the post, crashing into the water below.

"Pressure points." Michelle said airily, her fingers curling beneath her chin as she blew a kiss to the frantic crowd. "Works every time."

"Dude, Meech!" Craig yelled, eyeing the blonde in awe. "Are you, like, a  _ninja?!"_  He demanded.

"Even better." Michelle laughed, beaming a wide smile at the jock, as he helped her down from her post, letting her sit on his shoulders in victory. " _Pre-Med_." She giggled. The crowd cheered on approval as they made their way back to the beach, where Craig did a touchdown dance, and Michelle took a gracious bow.

Taylor moved over, as next to him, Diego and Varyyn surfaced. "Nice swim?" He sniggered, offering a hand to each and pulling them to their feet as they laughed.

"Welp, we got whacked in the first scene of the movie." Diego snorted, shaking out his wet hair. "Sorry, Varyyn." He added, ducking his gaze guiltily.

"Do not apologize, my friend. We fought well." Varyyn said, clapping Diego warmly on the shoulder. "Shall we try again?!" He asked, beaming a wide grin at Diego, as Taylor trued tonhis his laughter behind his hand.

"Sure." Diego said, wincing slightly as he shoved Taylor knowingly. "But first, I'm gonna get an ice pack... or three." He amended, and flushed as Varyyn picked him up from the water and carried him to the beach, before running away quickly to find him some ice.

"See?" Taylor snickered, "still wish I cheered for your team?" He asked, as Diego huffed and rolled his eyes.

" _Betrayal, I know thy name_." He said with narrowed eyes, before snorting with amusement and breaking out in a small grin. "You're  _so_  annoying when you get-" he dropped off suddenly, his eyes widening as his eyes locked onto Taylors throat.  _"Dude,_  is that..?"

 _"Yeah..."_  Taylor sighed, stroking the hickey fondly as a shy giggle escaped him.

"Dude, you guys are officially past cute; you're now just... like that sickeningly sweet stuff you find on cakes." Diego scoffed.

"You mean icing?" Taylor asked, laughing as Diego's rolled his eyes.

 _"Noooo."_  He said firmly, folding his eyes as his cheeks turned pink. Taylor sniggered, as his friends eyes darted back to the mark on his neck. "So, does this mean you guys are, you know...  _Serious?"_

"I think we've always been sort of serious..." Taylor hummed thoughtfully, sighing contentedly.  _"This time_  at least." He amended, before peeking over at Diego guiltily. "I may have made him think I was mad at him..."

 _"What?!"_  Diego gasped, laughing as Taylor nodded. "What did you  _do?"_  He asked, as they walked a short ways up the beach.

"To be fair, I really  _was_  surprised... I didn't think he would be quite the type for territorial marking." He sniggered, biting his lip briefly as he looked out across the ocean. "But then I uh, I flipped out... If you'd seen his face, my god. I think it was one of the few times I've seen him  _genuinely_  surprised by something!"

"You're  _evil,_  you know that, right?" Diego said, shaking his head as he laughed quietly. "I mean, I love you and all Taylor, but you're really...  _really_  evil."

"I'll make it up to him." Taylor said easily, sniggering as Diego choked. "Besides, his ego could do with a little deflating." He added with a laugh. He stepped aside, as Varyyn came running over, a bucket of ice in each hand. He laughed at the wide eyed expression on Diego's face, and winked, as he turned and gave them some privacy; heading back the way they'd come to rejoin the festival.

He caught sight of Raj at the food tables, where what appeared to be an eating contest was taking place. He grinned, and made his way over, eyeing the dozen empty played in front of his friend with an amused grin.  _"Ooohhhh_  boy..." Raj groaned, his eyes wide as he looked around the remaining plates. "Oh big papa. I am  _not_  feeling good..."

Taylor snickered, as a massive elephant masked Vaanti sitting opposite Raj, jammed loaf after loaf of bread under his mask. "Hey buddy," he said syly, patting Raj on the shoulder. "Looks like you're holding the fort over here." He chuckled, as Raj turned toward him with wide eyes.

"Time out!" Raj cried suddenly, grabbing Taylors hand as he got to his feet. "Calling a time out!" He yelled desperately, lurching away from the table and dragging Taylor along behind him. "We got trouble, Taylor.  _Big trouble."_

"What's going on?" Taylor asked, instantly concerned something had happened and he'd missed it.

"So, we kinda... maybe, sorta challenged them to a humans versus Vaanti table challenge..." Raj admitted guiltily, huffing a great sigh as he shook his head despondently.

 _"'We'?"_  Taylor sniggered, raising a brow in curious intrigue.

"Lila was handling the drinking challenge part." The large boy explained reluctantly, frowning at a spot just behind Taylor on the beach. "She uh, well... See for yourself." He said, jerking his thumb over to where Lila laid, sprawled on her back with her eyes shut, mumbling to herself.

"And  _whyyyy_  do they call them... coconuts... anyway?" She snorted, giggling wildly. "They're not nuts... they're...  _they're..._  Oh my god.  _Are they nuts_..?!"

"I'm down half my team!" Raj exclaimed desperately, waving his arms frantically as Taylor tried to hide his amused grin. "And Dumbo, over there..? _Is unstoppable_!"

"Come!  _Eat!"_  The elephant masked Vaanti champion called goadingly. "The next dish is my favourite!" He taunted, pulling off the lid of a bowl to reveal a pile of squirming red grubs.

 _"I can't keep doing this, Taylor_!" Raj exclaimed in a fierce whisper, hanging his head dramatically. "I'm... calling it for team human!"

"Come on, Raj..." Taylor sniggered, clapping his friend on the shoulder, as he beamed a wide grin at him. "You got this, dude!" He encouraged, glancing at the Vaanti champion before leaning closer to Raj conspiratorially. "If you want to win, just make a big show out of it!" He whispered, laughing when Raj's jaw dropped.

"What do you mean?" Raj cried, his eyes wide as he searched Taylors amused countenance curiously.

"Look, this is obviously all mind games." Taylor explained with a chuckle, tapping his forehead in emphasis. "The Vaanti are trying to psych you out, get in your head." He said, nodding towards the table with a snort, as the elephant masked Vaanti was squeezing one of the biggest bugs.

 _"Mmm..._  So juicy, so think!" He called loudly, though he pointedly never ate one.

"They  _are_  kinda hamming it up..." Raj admitted thoughtfully, as Taylor clapped him on the shoulder once more.

"So, ham it up right back!" He said, grinning as Raj visibly gained confidence. "Show them their tricks don't work! Rattle them,  _twice as hard_  as they're rattling you!"

"Yeah..." Raj said thoughtfully, before breaking into an excited grin.  _"Yeah!_  I can do this! Thanks, Taylor!" He said, as he walked back to the table, and retook his seat on the bench, digging into the bowl with both hands.

"Wait, are you truly going to eat it?" The elephant masked Vaanti balked, his glowing eyes wide behind his mask.

"You'd better believe it!" Raj cheered, eyeing the wriggling handfuls thoughtfully. "Gross ass grubs are my favourite! They're a Catalyst delicacy!" He chuckled, as he popped one in his mouth. Taylor grimaced worh amusement, covering his face with his hand as he laughed, when Raj bit it in half; spraying a gooey blue juice all over the Vaanti. " _Hakuna Matata, son!"_

"I..." The Vaanti yelped, staring in shock at Raj, as he stuffed more wriggling bugs into his mouth. He glanced down at the blue goo on his skin, and wiped it away with obvious disgust. "I cannot do this!" He exclaimed, running off as his friends jeered and teased him.

 _"Unh!_  That's right!  _Run!_  Run with your trunk between your legs!" Raj called after him, laughing as he raised his arms in the air victoriously. "Thanks, Taylor! You're, like, the perfect coach!" Raj praised, as Taylor shook his head and pointedly avoided the large boys offered high five.

"Heh, happy to help!" He snickered, as Raj turned to the table before him in thoughtful consideration.

"Wanna share a grub?" He asked, offering one to Taylor. "They're actually pretty good..." He admitted.

"Not in a million years." Taylor laughed, grinning broadly as his friend shrugged and dug into the dishes remaining. He turned away, and wandered over to the jungle brush at the edge of the beach, where Grace, Aleister and Zahra were searching for something; accompanied by Uqzhaal and Taari.

"Never gonna solve it," Taari giggled in a song song voice, a huge grin plastered on his face. " _Never gonna solve it!_ "

"Hush now, child, and let the Catalysts play!" Uqzhaal scolded, though his own grin was blatantly confident in their failure as well.

"As irritating as the brat is," Aleister said snidely, rolling his eyes as she received a jab to the ribs from Grace for the comment. "He  _does_  have a point. I'm less than chuffed about our prospects."

"What're you guys doing?" Taylor asked, leaning against a tree as he watched them amusedly.

"A cute, little scavenger hunt!" Grace cheered excitedly, beaming a wide smile his way, upon noticing he'd joined them.

 _"Cute?"_  Uqzhaal choked, his crimson eyes wide as he stared at Grace in shocked offense. "I'll have you know, this is the Trial of the Ancients! A revered game of intelligence, and sophistication!"

"Like I said," Grace giggled, ignoring Uqzhaal as she poked her tongue out at Taylor. " _A cute, little scavenger hunt_!" She laughed, as Uqzhaal grumbled under his breath. "We've gathered three clues already..." She said excitedly, holding out a handful of tiny polished stones.

"Yes, three clues out of..." Aleister said, hesitating as he looked to the shaman for confirmation.

"Seventy nine!" Uqzhaal replied smugly, grinning broadly as he leaned on his cane.

"Oh, cool." Zahra scoffed, scowling at the old man. "Because you  _hate me."_

"You know its funny," Taylor sniggered, his cheeks staining pink briefly. "But Jake is always saying that you hate  _him_  for some reason..." He said innocently, his eyes dancing with amusement as she snorted and looked away with a knowing smirk.

"Now, now, Zahra." Aleister said, straightening his spine as he clasped his wrists behind his back. "This is a  _fine_  way to pass the day."

"You're just saying that, because you've spent the whole time, blowing kisses at your new girlfriend!" Zahra snarled, glaring at the pale boy in frustration.

 _"Aww..."_  Grace cooed, grinning at Aleister, as he flushed red. "But he's so  _cute_  when he does it!" She cheered, as Aleister walked over and gave her a small kiss on her forehead.

Zahra retched at the display, as Taylor laughed and pushed away from his tree, heading over to help. "What riddle are you on?" He asked, as Uqzhaal took one of the stones, and translated the message inscribed on it.

" **Always at home, even when on the go... Strong and tenacious, mindful and slow**!" He intoned slowly, as Taylor sniggered.

"The ancient Vaanti riddle rhymes in English?" He asked, raising a brow as the shaman chuckled and smirked proudly.

"I may have adapted it." He confessed, as Taylor frowned thoughtfully, considering the clue carefully.

"Hm..." He hummed, looking around the area carefully. "Well, it sounds like it's one of those that makes you over think it..." He said, thinking of the clue once more. "' _Always at home, even on the go_...'" He said, frowning as he thought about potential answers. "' _Tenacious and strong, mindful and slow...'_ " He repeated slowly, sounding the words out. He broke into a grin, his eyes falling upon something which fit the clue. "I can't believe I'm beating you guys to this... I mean, what carries its strong home with it wherever it goes, and moves slowly?" He asked, spreading his palms to them, as they stared at him in confusion. He rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he laughed quietly. "Guys, I'm pretty sure the answer is a  _Turtle..."_  He said, sniggering at their expressions of surprise.

"Yes!" Uqzhaal cheered gleefully, his eyes warm, as he grinned over at him. "That's it exactly!"

"Oh, good thinking Taylor!" Grace cheered excitedly, clapping her hands together, as she bounced on her feet.

"Yes." Aleister added, quickly regaining his superiority. "Quite quick witted." He acknowledged with a tip of his head, as Taylor snorted in amusement.

"I knew that." Zahra said flatly, bumping her fist to his shoulder lightly. "I was just waiting to say it."

"You were  _not."_  Aleister insisted confidently, folding his arms over his chest. Taylor bit his lip to keep from laughing, his eyes alight with amusement and his heart light with joy, as he watched his friends banter and bicker playfully.

"So, where can we find a turtle?" Grace asked enthusiastically, looking around the jungle thoughtfully. "Maybe search fir nests by the beach?"

"Maybe something a little closer..." Taylor sniggered, winking at her suggestively when she turned towards him.

"Wait..." Zahra said suspiciously, following Taylors line of sight, as his eyes flickered to the hint he'd spotted a short ways away. She snapped her fingers together suddenly, pointing at the area accusingly. "Didn't we pass a turtle shell like, ten minutes ago? Back by the river? Before we had to stop for more kissy faces from, Malfoy?"

"Gettin' warm, Snape." Taylor said, laughing when she slapped his arm in response.

"That  _does_  make much more sense, yes." Aleister conceded stiffly, as Grace giggled at his pink cheeks.

"Come on!" Taari cried, grabbing Aleister's hand and tugging him towards the river excitedly. "Let's go,  _let's go!_ " He cried, and Taylor smiled fondly, as they walked together towards a gently running creek; a short way deeper into the jungle, where a turtle shell rested at the waters edge.

"Well?" Taylor said as he approached, looking around with amusement as they stared down at it. "Anyone gonna reach into that thing and see if there's a clue in there?" He asked, as the others hesitated.

"I... suppose..." Aleister said, eyeing the shell distrustfully. Taylor supposed couldn't really blame the boy for his reluctance, given the things they'd already seen on the island. "If no one else will... Just, give me a moment... to prepare myself." He hedged, looking faintly sickened.

"Oh come on!" Grace giggled, and while the pale boy continued to hesitate, she ran over and jammed her hand into the shell, pulling out another polished stone proudly when she withdrew.  _"There!_  I got it, you big babies!" She chuckled, beaming at Aleister when he leaned down to kiss her forehead.

Taylor turned away, looking to Zahra as he expected a clever quip, but frowned when he found her staring oddly into space. "Zahra?" He called gently, nudging her with his arm. "What's wrong?" He asked, running his eyes over her worriedly.

"I don't know. I just..." She began, swallowing as she rubbed at her stomach distractedly. "I feel,  _weird..._  All of a sudden." She said, as she hunkered down by the side of the creek and peered in. Taylor stepped closer, and gasped, when just for a moment; the current disturbed the riverbed, and he saw a spark of amber.

 _Oh great_... He thought sourly, glancing around to see Uqzhaal was safely occupied with Grace and Aleister, as they began working on the next clue.  _Man... Jake is gonna kill me._  He thought with a sigh, as he moved himself to crouch beside Zahra, successfully blocking Uqzhaal's view of the river. "Zahra, I need you to help me get that thing quick, so we can chuck it in my bag before anyone realises we found it, okay?" He said, as the silt settled in again, and the amber vanished from view.

"Sure, but why-"

"Just trust me, please..." Taylor pleaded, glancing over his shoulder as he swung his bag to the ground. "It's uh, its a long story." He said hesitantly, his eyes locking onto the riverbed. "Come on. It's right...  _here!"_  He said, reaching into the rushing creek, and hooking his fingers around the idols side, jerking it free from the silt. "Quick, grab it!" He hissed, as Zahra reached forward to snatch it from where it floated towards her.

Taylor glanced behind him, noticing the group approaching, as he frantically opened his bag and reached unthinkingly for the idol. As soon as his fingers grazed it, he found himself thrown into a dorm room at Hartfeld. He blinked, irritated by the visions poor timing, and mentally urging it to hurry, to no avail. His eyes found Zahra, slumped over her computer with a bottle of Mountain Dew in one hand, typing furiously with the other.

"Come on, come on!" She growled in frustration, glancing at the clock quickly. "We've got maybe two minutes until Mammon's backup generators kick in, and the firewalls go back online!" She cursed into a headpiece, as messages lit up on her display in a frantic chat box.

**AZRA3L:**

_Working on it, lich queen! I'm trying to flood the local power grid now!_

**CYBERPINK:**

_I'm almost into their personal accounts... running a brute force compiler on the password prompt!_

_"No!"_  Zahra cried frantically, her drink almost spilling as she lurched closer to her screen. "That'll take too long! Streamline it with an alpha-numeric de-analyzer!" She ordered, as 'Cyberpink' replied with a quick affirmative.

**AZRA3L:**

_I've done all I can. We've got maybe a minute_.

**CYBERPINK:**

_Almost got it. wait... I'M IN!_

"Grab the files!  _Now!"_  Zahra ordered frantically, scowling at the screen as she rapidly typed on her keypad with both hands, flying through information which cropped up on her screen.

**CYBERPINK:**

_OMG... This is everything. Financial records... Discrimination lawsuits... Illegal offshore accounts..._

**AZRA3L:**

_We did it. We actually did it. We hacked Mammon Financial_.

"Wall streets never gonna know what hit it." Zahra said smugly, sitting back in her seat as she grinned proudly at the information displayed before her. "Now we just need to -" Before Zahra could finish her thought, her door swung open, and she hastily slammed her laptop shut.

"Looking at those dirty tumblers again?" Craig snickered, as he sauntered in uninvited, wearing a huge grin. "I told you, I'm cool with it..."

"Craig, you  _really_  need to knock before barging in here!" Zahra scolded, glaring at him fiercely, as he turned to look at her fully.

"Seriously? Since when do I-" he broke off suddenly, stunned into a brief silence as he ran his eyes over her, his joyful expression fading. "You got a haircut." He said quietly, stepping closer cautiously.

"Oh. Yeah." She said distractedly, sweeping her new, maroon streaked mohawk out of her face, showing off the freshly shaven hair on the opposite side, along with her many piercings. "You like it?"

"Its... uh..." Craig balked, shaking his head sadly as he swallowed heavily and averted his gaze briefly. "It's  _different."_

"Yeah, I know." Zahra scoffed, snorting as she rolled her eyes at him. "That's the  _point."_

"I just... I mean... it's..." Craig stammered, before shaking his head firmly, and turning back to her sadly. "Never mind." He said, standing awkwardly for a moment, searching for words. He brightened suddenly, pasting a wide grin on his face as he stepped closer to her. "You excited for the after party tonight? It's gonna be  _killer..."_

"Craig, for the tenth time..." Zahra sighed, turning away as she frowned and toyed with her computer lid. "I'm not going to any more football team parties with you."

"Why not?" Craig asked, his face falling as he gazed at her longingly.

"Because they're loud, and gross, and the only thing to drink is cheap beer..." Zahra complained, her expression darkening as she firmly avoided meeting his gaze. "And you  _always_  end up getting drunk, and flirty with some random girl anyway!" She snarled, scowling as she grabbed her Mountain Dew and took a large swig.

"That was just the one time!" Craig protested, stepping closer and laying his hand on her shoulder. "And  _she_  came onto  _me!"_

"Yeah, well,  _whatever."_  Zahra sneered, jerking her shoulder free as she leaned forward over her desk. "I'm staying  _here._  I've got shit I need to do." She muttered firmly, hunching her shoulders in her effort to avoid him.

"Zahra... I know you don't love these parties..." Craig said imploringly, leaning around her chair to try and catch her gaze. "But, my team is important to me. Are you ever gonna do  _anything_  I care about..?"

"Spare me the guilty puppy routine, Craig." Zahra said bitterly, finally turning towards him to throw him a disinterested glare. "It doesn't suit you." She added blandly, as he visibly flinched, and drew away.

The huge boy seemed to shrink in on himself, and turned away, dejected. As he reached for the door, he half turned over his shoulder. "Sometimes I don't think you care about  _anybody,_  except yourself." He mumbled under his breath, pausing briefly, before yanking the door open.

Zahra turned, opening her mouth to respond, before turning away and pretending she hadn't heard.

Taylor's heart sank as he was again wrenched through time, at his friends stubborn attitudes. Both wanting each other to fight for them, but neither admitting it. He hurtled forward through time, and with a flash, he found himself thrown into Rourke's office. His heart lurched, seeing Zahra sat behind the desk, twirling a stylus with one hand while idly browsing through several holographic monitors. The door slid open, and Everett Rourke strolled, looking a few years older than Taylor remembered him, but just as slick and infuriatingly smug as ever. "Security Chief, Namazi." He grinned broadly, winking at her fondly.

"Yes sir?" She replied, beaming a wide grin at the man, as Taylor felt his heart race in refusal of what he was seeing.

"How's it going?" He asked smugly, his hands resting on his jacket lapels as he stepped closer to her desk.

"All sectors are secure and operational,  _sir."_  Zahra reported respectfully, her hands dancing over the keyboard, changing the images on the screens. One, showed a mining facility; extracting glowing crystals from a deep trench. Another, showed the burned out husk of the Vaanti city, while a third screen showed The Celestial; which was being patrolled by strange, masked soldiers. A final screen, showed a jail cell, and Taylor felt his heart try to implode, when he saw what was inside. Though older, battered and bruised, the prisoner was a person he would never be able to mistake.

" _Hey! Phony Stark! You watching_?!" Jake yelled, his voice hoarse from what must have been countless taunts and similar yells. Taylor was overcome with heartbreak, as he stared at his pilot, clearly heavily beaten but never broken. " _You tuned in to the Jake Channel?!_ " His pilot snarled, as Taylor drank in every detail of him. His hair was slightly longer, matter in places from neglect, though he clearly didn't care about his appearance. " _What, ain't nothin' better on?!"_  He yelled, glaring directly at the camera, as he flipped the bird at it.

 _"I ain't gonna dance for you! I ain't gonna be one of your lackeys_!" He growled, baring his teeth as he shook his heavily bound hands at the camera.  ** _"Never!"_**  He yelled, veins popping on his neck in his ire. " _But if you're looking for some entertainment, how about you and me, outside, no guns_?!" He snarled, his eyes blazing with a hatred so profound, Taylor felt his heart ache desperately for whatever had caused it. " _I'll give you a show, you piece of-"_

 _"Remarkable..."_  Rourke muttered in awe, muting the screen as he glanced up at Zahra briefly, before returning his gaze to the now silent Jake, though his furious motions and yelling were still plain to see. "That man's been in that cell, what... Four years?"

 _"Five."_  Zahra replied emotionlessly, her eyes locked onto Jake, as he paced, snarled and made rude gestures in his cell.

"And he's  _still_  going!" Rourke laughed, clucking his tongue in amused appreciation. "He's got  _grit,_  I'll give him that." He said, before sighing and shaking his head remorsefully. "He could have been quite something... A man of his talents!" He said, chuckling as he watched Jake fall to the floor of his cell suddenly. Taylors heart lurched, his fear for the pilot no less powerful, despite having no idea when the vision was to take place. "He could've carved out a piece of this new world for himself... I suppose he should have taken a cue from you, Namazi."

"Yes,  _sir."_  Zahra replied blandly, leaning back in her chair as she watched Jake on the monitor emotionlessly. "He  _should've."_

"Hm, well..." Rourke said suddenly, turning away from display as he looked up at Zahra. "Anything else I should know about?" He asked.

"Nope." Zahra said, popping her p sound in the exact way which had always irritated Taylor. "You have a good night, sir." She drawled, her eyes finally sparking with an emotion briefly, as Rourke turned away.

"You know what? I  _will."_  He said smugly, walking back to the door with a swagger. However, when he swiped to exit, it did not open for him. "Hmm. That's odd..." He hummed, frowning thoughtfully.

"I guess there is...  _one..._  more thing I should tell you..." Zahra said thoughtfully, reaching under the desk to pull out a snub nosed revolver, which she levelled lazily at Rourke's chest. " _You're a dead man_." She said, scowling at him as hatefully as Jake had from the screen.

" _Well now..._ " Rourke chuckled, eyeing Zahra with obvious amusement, as he grinned broadly at her.  _"This_  is interesting."

"You ain't seen  _nothing_  yet." Zahra promised darkly, "with just one tap of a button..." She said, reaching forward with her other hand to hit a button on her keyboard. "... I'm going to take  _everything_  from you." She swore with a feral grin, as a siren began to howl, and the lights began to flicker red. Shouts and screams could be heard from below, rising through the floor to them.

"What did you just  _do?!"_  Rourke demanded, his eyes widening as he seemed to realise the serious threat Zahra posed.

"I initiated a little program I've been working on." Zahra said smugly, feigning a thoughtful glance at the ceiling. "I call it, the  _Lich Queen's Revenge_." She said, sneering at the older man with obvious contempt. "I opened  _every_  jail cell in your compound..." She said, her eyes flicking guiltily to the monitor which had shown Jake's cell, which was now empty. Taylor felt conflicted, pleased his pilot was free but terrified of what danger he might be in.

"I deleted  _every_  piece of research you've ever gathered..." She added, clearing her throat as she regained her momentum. "Blew out  _all_  the power in  _all_  your facilities...  _fried_  your mining stations beyond repair...  _blinded_  your security forces..." She said, hesitating thoughtfully, as Rourke's face fell deeper into shock with every confession. "Oh, and I let the tiger out in your museum." She said, chuckling as she clicked the safety off her weapon. "I'm thinking he'll make a bit of a mess." She said in a staged whisper, laughing darkly at Rourke's stunned expression.

"You're lying." Rourke said immediately, shaking his head in disbelief as he tried to process her claims.

"Not at all." Zahra snarled, her eyes narrowing at him. "It took me five years to get into your systems...  _Five years, of grovelling and scraping_. Five years of pretending I worked for you..." She said, sucking in a deep breath.  _"Five years..._  And now, I'm  _done._  I've  _ruined_  you." She said, her lashes brushing her cheek in obvious relief. "And now, you'll die here. Broken. Beaten.  _Alone."_  She said confidently, glaring at him in vindictive relief and malicious glee.

"No..." Rourke said slowly, huffing an amused chuckle despite his dire circumstances. "... Not alone." He snarled, and in a flash he whipped his hand up. A long, curved dagger streaked through the air, and plunged up to the hilt in Zahra's chest.

 _"Ufff!"_  Zahra gasped, falling backwards, as she pulled the trigger. The gun blasted once, twice, and finally a third time. She glanced down to her chest, her free hand rising briefly, before falling back to her side tiredly.

Rourke slumped down against the wall, three bloody holes in his chest.  _"Urrggh..._  you..." He rasped, looking down at his bloody chest in disbelief. "You  _shot_  me..!" He gasped, looking up at her with wide eyes. "You psychotic...  _bitch..._  you, shot me-"

"At least..." Zahra sighed, her wounded chest heaving as she struggled for breath. "I get to watch you  _die..."_  She said, her gaze softening as she watched Rourke's own struggles for breath. "That's... good enough, for me..." She huffed weakly, as the two of them laid there; a room apart, breathing faintly, as they bled out.

"Why..?" Rourke asked weakly, frowning at her curiously.  _"Why..._  would you do this..?" He pushed, shaking his head at her. "I gave you... everything. Money... Power... Influence..." He said, his brow creasing in genuine confusion. "You've thrown it... all away... and for  _what?"_

Zahra leaned against the glass wall, tilting her head to the ceiling as blood trickled down from her lips, as they curved into a weak. Her hands fell limp at her sides, the gun forgotten now its purpose had been served.  _"For Craig..."_  She whispered brokenly, lowering her gaze tl glare at him hatefully. " _You son of a bitch."_  She growled weakly, closing her eyes and slumping over, her last breath a sigh.

With a jolt, Taylor returned to the present, his heart broken in countless ways from the vision. He gasped, and shoved the idol deep into his bag, before falling back on his heels, hiding his tear soaked face in his hands.

"You okay, Taylor?" Zahra asked, resting her hand on his arm cautiously.

"Yeah, I..." He choked, swallowing heavily as he tried to regain control over his rampant emotions. He glanced up at Zahra, who was watching him concernedly. He huffed a small chuckle, running his hand through his hair as he forced a grin ro his face. "Just, remind me never to piss you off, okay?" He asked, trying to force his broken heart to melt back together.

Zahra clapped him on the shoulder, grinning broadly as she winked at him. "Hey, Taylor?" She sniggered, as he rolled his eyes in anticipation. "Never  _ever_  piss me off." She said, stepping back and reaching down to pull him to his feet. He allowed her to help him up, using his grip on her hand to pull her into a brief one armed hug, before immediately releasing her.

"I uh, I'm gonna leave you guys to your scavenger hunt." Taylor said suddenly, averting his eyes to hide their wetness. He turned and stalked away briskly, leaving his friends to take off with Uqzhaal and Taari. He wandered down the beach, his hand tightening its grip on his bag as he choked back a harsh sob. He made his way down the beach, dropping to sit by the surf as he tried to sort through everything he'd seen, and remind himself it hadn't happened yet _. I can stop it..._  He thought uncertainly, as he sucked in a deep breath _. I can_... He felt the sting of tears, and rubbed at his eyes in frustration, refusing to let them fall.

He looked around for a distraction, and spotted Sean a short ways down the tide, examining a set of several windsurfing rigs, resting on the sand. "Hey! What're these for?" He called, as Seraxa strolled over to join him.

"Our sailboats." The green skinned war chief explained. "We use them to compete in  _quuk'tanoi."_  She said, with a derisive snort.

"In your tongue," Varyyn said, as he and Diego walked over. "You would say, 'Wind Disc'."

"Wind disc, huh?" Taylor asked, as he jogged over, hoping his painted smile covered his internal conflict.

"Oh, yeah!" Diego said brightly, smiling at Taylor, before seeming to falter slightly in confusion. "I've seen 'em play, it's wild! They're  _crazy_  good at it..." He said, his expression morphing to a concerned frown, as he watched Taylor fidget guiltily. "Think; Ultimate Frisbee, while windsurfing."

"Okay, you've got my attention." Sean said with a grin, his fingers twitching in eagerness.

"Let's take 'em for a spin." Jake agreed, as he sauntered over. Taylor tensed, looking up as the pilot approached with a cocky grin, which quickly faltered and fell as he caught sight of Taylors tight grip on his bag. "Boy Scout-" Taylor was vividly thrown back to the vision from Zahra's idol, and his breath exploded from him in a quiet cry, as he threw his arms around Jake and pulled him close.  _"Whoa, wha-"_

"Just... shut up and stand still a minute." Taylor whispered, his fingers curling in the pilots jacket, as he inhaled deeply; absorbing the whiskey scent in the fabric. Jake wrapped him tightly in his arms, turning him away from the group, as he gently stroked his back.

"Why do I get the feelin' you found another of those goddamn idols..?" The pilot sighed, as he buried his nose in the short hair by Taylors temple. Taylor didn't respond verbally, instead merely nodding briefly, his face pressing into the pilots throat as he tried to escape the broken memory of his pilot caged for five years. "Hmm..." Jake hummed, his lips tracing scratchy kisses along Taylors brow. "There ever gonna be a day I can trust you not to get yourself into trouble?" He asked, and Taylors lips twitched with amusement despite the ache in his heart, as he shook his head. "Didn't think so..." The pilot sighed, as Taylor bit his lip, the other mans comfort easing his hearts constriction. "Well, uh... Does... this mean I'm forgiven..?" He asked with cocky bravado, his fingers hesitantly grazing the mark he'd left on Taylors throat.

Taylor fought to keep the grin from his face, pushing himself away from the pilot with a faint huff. "Not a chance." He said, smirking at the pilots falling expression. He lost the fight to contain his grin, and winked at the pilot.  _"But,_  it can be a start..." He said leadingly, his fingers falling to the pilots dog tags.

"Good enough for me." Jake snorted, his relief evident at Taylors recovery from his vision. The pilot raised a brow, looking him over in his new clothes. "Where'd ya find the sports gear?"

"Hmm, this?" He asked, plucking at his loose shirt. "Oh, Sean found it for me..." He said innocently, biting his lip when the pilots eyes narrowed slightly.

"Huh, did he now?" He asked stiffly, his fingers curling in the back of Taylors shirt. "Awful good of ya, Steve Rogers."

"Whatever  _this_  is, leave me outta it." Sean said, raising his palms and turning to the windsurfing boards.

"I dunno Top Gun, they might be kinda useful." Taylor said, easing out if the pilots hold to stretch and show how the loose fabric moved to reveal skin. "I mean, if we're gonna take on the Sailor Bunch and all..." He said innocently, dropping his bag to the sand as he turned away to hide his grin.

"You people, playing  _quuk'tanoi?_  Ha!" Seraxa snorted, her teeth flashing in the sun as she laughed at the very thought.

"Something funny, Seraxa?" Taylor asked, turning towards her with a smile. He felt Jake step up behind him, the pilot grazing the backs of his hands briefly, before he lightly laced them together with his own. Taylor grinned, squeezing gently, though he didn't turn; instead focusing on the war chief.

"This game is only for those with the fierce will, and honed senses, of the Vaanti." Seraxa sneered in amusement, shaking her head fondly.

"Sounding mighty cocky there, She-Hulk." Jake sniggered, and Taylor bit his lip, as he felt the pilots grin against the back of his neck.

"Only when I have every reason to be," Seraxa snorted confidently, eyeing the pilot thoughtfully. "He Who Needs A Haircut."

" _Oh my god_..." Taylor gasped, releasing Jake's hands so he could press his own against his mouth, forcing back his laughter as Jake stepped up beside him with a scowl.

"Did you just try to give me a nickname?!" The pilot demanded, as Taylor gave in to his mirth and collapsed to the sand in a fit of giggles.

"Our warriors must prove their dexterity, agility, and cunning in this game." Varyyn explained, as Taylor hiccupped and tried to catch his breath. "Only  _then_  do they earn their mask." He said, smiling as Taylor finally got a grip on himself and pushed to his feet.

"But, if you still dare to challenge us," Seraxa said leadingly, an excited smirk curling her lips. "I would relish this opportunity to... educate you, in your shortcomings."

"Aw, what happened to being kin?" Taylor asked, pouting at the green skinned woman with blatant amusement.

"Being kin makes it all the more important to teach you such a lesson," Seraxa sneered, meeting at him. "It will make our easy defeat of you far sweeter."

"Should we take 'em on, Taylor?" Sean asked, looking eagerly towards the boards. "I've got a decent arm."

"Whaddaya say, Boy Scout?" Jake quickly asked, stepping between them, and Taylor bit his lip at the entirely indiscreet move to block the athlete out. "Up for a round?" He asked with a crooked grin, as Taylors heart swelled with affection.

"Let's show these guys what we're made of!" Taylor sniggered, beaming a wide grin at them both.

"I'm the first overall draft pick for Team Taylor?" Sean asked, stepping around Jake as the pilot turned a scowl towards him. "Heh, I'm one lucky guy."

"Sorry, Cap." Jake snarked sarcastically, as Taylor bit his lip guiltily at the hostility in the pilots tone. "Pretty sure Boy Scout picked  _me_  first." He said, his expression morphing into a cocky grin, as he turned towards Taylor. "Right, Boy Scout?" He asked, scowling once more as Taylor pretended to consider a moment before shrugging innocently, and throwing him a wink. Jake grumbled to himself, as he and Sean stripped down to their swimsuits and Taylor sniggered at his pilots obvious frustration. He glanced at Varyyn, as the Elyyshar picked up a thin, flat ring if wood, about the size of a dinner plate.

"The rules are simple..." He said, his excitement clear as he looked around them. "Three players to a side, each on their own sailboard. The objective is to throw the wind disc onto the opponents Column of Light!" He explained, grinning as Jake looked up in surprise.

"Column of-" he choked, glancing further out in the ocean.  _"Wait,_  do you mean those rickety old buoys floating out there?" He asked, gesturing toward a pair of rusted metal weather buoys bobbing in the waves, about a hundred yards apart. Atop each, a red light pulsed slowly.

"Indeed." Varyyn replied smugly, as Taylor stared in shock at the rickety, bobbing buoys.

"So, it's like playing high speed horseshoe." Sean said, eyeing the buoys with mild speculation, as he nodded thoughtfully. "I follow." He said, ignoring Jake as he scoffed and folded his arms over his chest, and he pointedly looked away from the sports star.

"Defenders will try to flip your sailboard..." Seraxa explained, grinning smugly. "Or, block your shots with their sails."

"You must pass the ring to each other, to evade the opponents defense." Varyyn added, as Taylors head swam from all the instructions.

"Wait," he said suddenly, glancing at Jake and Sean before looking back at Seraxa and Varyyn. "You said its three on three... But there's only  _two_  of you." He pointed out, much to the Vaanti's surprise.

"Hm... I guess we do need a third." Varyyn sighed dejectedly, his face falling at the realisation, only to brighten suddenly when he looked past Taylor; who turned to see Uqzhaal hobbling slowly along the beach with his cane. "Shaman! Did you give up on the scavenger hunt already?"

"The Catalysts told me in no uncertain terms, that my help was  _rather irritating_." Uqzhaal chuckled, and Taylor sniggered as he imagined something less diluted and more likely of Zahra and Aleister.

"Care to join a round of  _quuk'tanoi?_  Varyyn asked eagerly, beaming at the shaman as he cracked his back and began to waddle over to them.

"Very well." Uqzhaal agreed, slowly making his way to the sailboards. "If you need a third..."

"You're serious?" Jake asked with a snicker, his bare chest catching Taylors gaze, as he eyed his pilot appreciatively. " _The old man?_ " The pilot scoffed, winking when he caught Taylor staring at him.

"I do not mind the handicap." Seraxa conceded, a feral grin twisting her lips. "It makes your inevitable defeat all the more painful."

"Alright," Sean said, grinning at the Vaanti broadly. "You can have it your way."

Taylor grinned as he quickly pulled his shirt over his head, and tossed it onto his bag, before he dashed to get himself a sailboard. He pushed it out into the tide, and hopped on, only for it to wobble under his feet. He opened his stance, thinking back to his combat training with Jake and Estela, and was proud of himself, when he managed to maintain a perfect stance.

"Look at  _you,_  Taylor." Sean said, beaming a wide grin as he pushed to his feet unsteadily, over on his own board. "You're already a pro!"

"How're you doin' that?!" Jake demanded, wobbling dangerously as he struggled to keep his balance on the board, while peeking over with wide eyes.  _"Whoaaa!"_

"It's a natural talent..." Taylor said lightly, winking as he sailed around his pilot cheekily. "What's the matter, Top Gun? Can't keep up?" He asked innocently, as Jake sniggered breathlessly, his foot slipping slightly on his board.

"Heh, don't worry 'bout  _me,_  Boy Scout." The pilot said, his crooked grin flashing as he winked at Taylor.  _"First_  I'm gonna win this thing,  _then_  I'm gonna kiss that smug grin right off ya face." He promised.

"Hmm," Taylor hummed, shifting his weight to move his board away from Jake's. "Might take quite a kiss to do that... Besides which, you've gotta catch me first!" He said, sniggering when the pilot almost fell off his board. "Step up your game, Top Gun! We've got a game to win!" He said, winking at his pilot cheekily.

"Let the game begin!" Varyyn called across the water. "Taylor, as honoured guests, you may start with the Wind Disc." He added, tossing him the thin ring of wood, carved into a perfect, smooth circle.

"Alright, bring it on!" Sean cheered, when Taylor sailed forward, catching the wind as he grew accustomed to steering his board.

Suddenly, Seraxa rammed his board with her own, startling Taylor as he almost fell from his board.  _"Hey!"_  He protested, quickly regaining his balance.

"I suggest you forfeit now, with whatever little dignity you have left!" She snorted, grinning widely as she taunted him.

"Yeah, we'll see about that!" Jake snarled, and Taylor giggled as he glanced over at the pilot.

"My Knight in Shining Swim Shorts!" He sniggered, as Jake winked at him. Taylor shook his head in amusement, and turned to throw the disc forward to Sean, only for Varyyn to sweep through its path. He scales his mast, and snatched Taylors throw right out of the air.

"What the..." Sean balked, staring in awe at the display Varyyn had made. "This guys got  _ups!_  Quick, get back on defense!" He advised urgently.

Taylor turned his sailboard around, trying to block as Seraxa and Varyyn passed the disc back and forth, with impressive form. Finally, Seraxa blazed past him, and easily threw the disc onto the post at the top of their buoy. "One, nil..." She commented smugly, grinning proudly as she twirled her board around again. "Couldn't be easier."

Taylor grinned over at her easily, raising a brow at her cocky display. "Why the attitude, Seraxa?" He asked innocently, a huge grin splitting his face as he drew her attention. "Are you mad Taari likes us more than you?"

"I-" Seraxa gasped, almost falling from her sailboard in surprise.  _"You-"_  she choked, as she stared at hun with wide eyes.

 _"Nice!"_  Jake praised, as he sailed around behind him, his eyes filled with support and pride. "Get inside her head!" He encouraged, swatting Taylors ass playfully as he passed.

 _"Geez,_  Taylor..." Sean sighed, as Taylor wrinkled his nose after his pilot. "You really went for the jugular there."

Taylor sniggered, taking back the disc so they could again start with the Wind Disc. He successfully passed to Sean, who passed it to Jake when the others began to close in on him. "Alright, now we're making some progress!" He said, a cocky grin on his face as he eyed the three boards coming towards him. "Comin' back at ya, Q.B!" He said, slinging the Wind Disc towards Sean, only for Seraxa to slide her board in the way. She scooped up the pass in her sail, the disc rolling along the canvas and straight into her awaiting grip.

"Okay, I need to learn how to do that..." Sean said dejectedly, as Seraxa flicked it back to Uqzhaal, whose sailboard puttered along slowly.

"Oh, erm, me?" He said, his crimson eyes widening in surprise.

"Now's our chance!" Sean growled, urging his board towards the old shaman's.

"Close in on Grandpa!" Jake agreed, his eyes flashing briefly, before he narrowed them in concentration.

The three of them encircled Uqzhaal's board, who calmly put the ring on the end of his staff, spun it around to gain momentum, and then used it to hurl the disc. "What the -" Taylor gasped, watching the disc fly far overhead, floating an incredible distance, before daintily alighting atop his teams buoy.

"You just-" Sean gasped, his eyes wide with disbelief.  _"How_  did you-" Jake gasped at the same moment, his own eyes wide in awe.

"Perhaps we forgot to mention that Uqzhaal, in his youth, was the greatest player of  _quuk'tanoi_  in Vaanti history." Varyyn confessed with a laugh, as he sailed past.

"Two, nil!" The old shaman cheered, balancing perfectly as he waved his cane in the air. "All fall to Uqzhaal!"

"Alright, guys..." Sean said, shaking his head as the three of them drew close to steategize. "They're just one goal away from winning... It's comeback time."

"Got any bright ideas, Boy Scout?" Jake asked, his eyes drifting over Taylors bare torso as a soft curl hitched his lip upwards.

Taylor glanced around, debating for a moment before he grinned excitedly, a plan forming. "Yeah, I need you to block for me, Jake!" He said, sniggering at the pilot when his cheeks dusted pink, realising he'd been caught staring. Without giving the pilot a chance to reply, Taylor cut his sailboard across the sea, darting away from a pursuing Varyyn. "I'm open!" He called to the athlete, once he was in position.

Sean flung the Wind Disc to Taylor, who caught it, only to find Uqzhaal right in front of him. "I can take that from you, my friend!" The shaman jeered, stretching his hand forward to pluck the disc from Taylors grasp.

"Don't think so, Pops!" Jake called, slamming his board into Uqzhaal's and toppling the old man into the water.

 _"Oof!"_  The shaman cried, upon surfacing, half hoisting himself back on his board with a wince. "My poor back!"

"Oh my god..." Jake groaned guiltily, as Taylor's jaw dropped. "I'm  _so_  sorry, dude." The pilot said, biting his lip as he floated closer to Uqzhaal.

"Not cool, Jake." Varyn sighed sadly, shaking his head at the pilots actions.

"Lemme help you up." Jake offered, crouching down and offering his arm to the old shaman. "Gimme your hand." He said, leaning over to reach for Uqzhaal, who grabbed the pilot and pulled him into the water alongside him with a burst of laughter.

 _"Gah!"_  Jake growled, shaking his head as he surfaced. "Just go, Taylor! You've got a clear shot!" He called, scowling as he heard Taylors riotous laughter drifting back to him.

Taylor raced his board away from Seraxa, and lobbed the disc hard towards its target. It barely snagged the buoy, but ultimately won the score. His laughter had him almost doubled over, as he sailed around towards his pilot. "I can not  _believe_  you fell for that!" He cried, as Jake scowled at him, shaking himself dry.

"Hey, I was being considerate of the elderly!" He growled, rolling his eyes when Taylor only laughed harder at him. "I was a distraction, okay! It was  _entirely deliberate!"_  He insisted, as Taylor sailed his board alongside Jake's, leaning over to trail his fingers along the pilots jaw, before his board carried him out of the other mans reach.

"Whatever you say, Top Gun!" He sniggered, blowing the pilot a teasing kiss over his shoulder, and laughing at the hungry expression which took over his pilots face. "Okay!" He called, refocusing as the three of them cane together briefly. "I don't think they'll underestimate us again. We need another plan."

Taylor looked around, and noticed Jake scooping up some seaweed he'd spotted floating nearby. He quickly braided it into a circle, before looking up at them both excitedly. "I've got an idea. Follow my lead..."

"Hmm, you're redeeming yourself, Top Gun..." Taylor sniggered, and Jake winked in reply, before he and Sean spread out to the flanks; each holding a dark ring.

"Jake has the disc!" Seraxa growled, aiming her board towards the pilot, as Uqzhaal shook his head and pointed towards the athlete. "No, Sean has it!" He countered.

The Vaanti split up, chasing both Sean and Jake as they ran up alongside them, and yanked the discs from their grip; only for them to break apart into a stringy, wet mess.  _"Seaweed?"_  Seraxa cried, gasping in realisation. "Jake's disc was a fake!" She called urgently, he eyes meeting Uqzhaal's as he found the same of Sean's disc.

"That means..." Varyyn balked, his eyes wide as realisation struck the Vaanti hard.

 _"Surprise!"_  Jake said, winking at the Vaanti as they turned to see Taylor was already long gone; racing away to score with the real Wind Disc.

"Tie game!" Taylor called joyfully, smirking as he brought his board around to the others. "Next goal wins!"

"How have they tied us?!" Uqzhaal demanded, his eyes wide in disbelief as he eyed the three exchanging a high five as they passed each other.

"I will finish this myself!" Seraxa snarled, spinning and throwing the disc with all the strength she can muster, directly at Taylor.

 _"Aah!"_  He gasped, as the disc tore through his sail, leaving its canvas in ribbons and unable to catch the wind.  _"Hey!"_  He complained, pouting at the green woman, who grinned smugly.

"You're not the only one with a trick up her sneeze!" She said, turning her sailboard and leaving Taylor to float aimlessly behind her.

"It's 'sleeve', but damn... That was a good move..." Jake admitted, whistling as he sailed around Taylor and pulled up to hover beside him.

"I can't go anywhere!" Taylor gasped, frantically looking over to his pilot. "What do I do?!"

"Hop on with one of us!" Sean suggested, as he sailed over. "We'll tandem!"

Taylor caught Jake's brief glance toward Sean, the uncertainty clouding his clear eyes, and his heart melted for the other man. "Well, whaddaya say, Top Gun?" He asked, biting his lip shyly when Jake's hopeful gaze snapped to him. "Think you can  _handle_  me?" He asked, giggling as his pilot grinned crookedly at him and extended his hand.

"Come on!" He said simply, his excitement plain to see, as Taylor took his hand and leaped over, balancing on the board behind him. "Whaddya say we go win this thing, huh?" His pilot asked, glancing back at him with a fire in his eyes.

"Hmm, I wonder why you're so  _eager_  all of a sudden..." Taylor sniggered, as Jake squeezed his hand briefly, before releasing it to regain the use of his hand. "Sound a like a plan." He murmured quietly, as his pilot got their board moving. He looked around him, to see that Sean had been cornered by the Vaanti over near their own buoy, though he was deftly avoiding their sweeps.

"Could use some help over here!" The athlete called, struggling to fight off all three of the Vaanti at once.

"Hmm, someone hear a damsel in distress?" Jake snickered, as Taylor swatted him playfully on the shoulder. "Come on," he laughed, "let's go bail him out. Hang on!" He said, opening up his sail and causing them to quickly accelerate.

Taylor grinned, wrapping his arms around Jake, feeling the warmth of his chest as he rested his cheek against his back. His smile grew, when the pilot out his hands on Taylors, squeezing them gently as he murmured over his shoulder. " _I've got you."_  Taylor felt his heart race, seemingly trying to break through his chest in its frantic rhythm. He bit his lip and flushed, knowing Jake would be able to feel it too, though he assumed he would put it down to the game.

The two of them sped towards Sean, and Jake made a hard turn, kicking up a huge wake that splashed both Varyyn and Uqzhaal in the face.

 _"Ah!"_  Varyyn cried, wobbling until he grabbed his mast tightly. "I cannot see!" He gasped, as Sean slung a low throw, threading the Vaanti's two sails. Jake snatched it out of the air, then turned and raced them towards the other buoy.

"We're almost there!" Taylor cried in excitement, his arms squeezing Jake's chest faintly as he envisioned their win.

"Yeah, but we've got company!" Jake growled, causing Taylor to crash back to reality as he glanced back to find the Vaanti had already recovered. Soon, the three boards were surrounding them, all of them slicing in overlapping circles around then; attempting to divert their course.

"You acquitted yourselves well." Varyyn conceded with a confident grin, his board swiftly sailing past to be replaced by Seraxa's. "But now, it's time to give up." She concluded, as they circled around them once more.

"What do we do?" Taylor asked, surveying the Vaanti with wide eyes, shaking his head in frustration. "They're blocking every possible throw! I can't see a thing!"

"We're close to the goal!" Jake called over his shoulder, shaking his head despondently. "But... we'd have to be twelve feet tall to get a clear shot!" He sighed, dodging a sharp swing of Varyyn's board.

"That's it!I have an idea!" Taylor gasped, patting the pilots arms in excitement. "Stand still!" He ordered, as Jake snorted at his bossy tone. "I'm gonna get up on your shoulders!"

"Well it ain't what I was hopin' to get ya on, but, I'll take-" Jake's comment was cut off, as Taylor swatted him firmly around the ear. He rolled his eyes as the pilot snickered to himself, clenching the disc between his teeth as he carefully climbed up to sit on Jake's shoulders. "Easy!  _Eaaaasy!"_  The pilot cried, as they wobbled briefly.

"Hey, we were pool noodle champions! Now we're gonna be Wind Disc champions!" Taylor called, as he balanced steadily on the pilots shoulders. He looked down, and giggled at the awe struck expression on his pilots face. "You okay down there, Top Gun?"

"Just dandy!" Jake replied, his hand slipping up Taylors thigh slowly, as he a cocky grin grew on his face. "I could do this all damn day!" He called, making Taylor laugh when he quickly pressed a kiss to his knee.

Taylor forces himself ro ignore the distracting feel of Jake's hand on his thigh, biting his lip as he focused on the task. From up high, he was able to spot the goal buoy easily. He balanced precariously on Jake's shoulders, the pilots hands on his thighs holding him steady; but doing nothing for his concentration. "You see it?" Jake called, as Taylor peeked down and broke out in a wide grin.

"Yeah!" He called, laughing as the pilots eyes sparked with excitement. "I can make the shot!" He promised, lining up to take aim.

 _"No!"_  Seraxa gasped, leaping up to block, as Taylor threw the disc. It sailed just over her fingertips, and landed perfectly upon the buoy.

 _"Impossible."_  Uqzhaal cried, his jaw dropping as his crimson eyes beheld them with disbelief and awe.

 _"Heh,_  Taylor makes the impossible happen every damn day, Pops." Jake sniggered, as he looked up at Taylor with joy. "Nice shootin', Boy Scout." He murmured, squeezing his thigh.

"We did it!" Sean called, as he sailed over. "We  _won!"_

Jake carefully helped Taylor down from his shoulders, setting him on the board and immediately pulling him into a tight hug. They looked into each others eyes as they parted, and Taylor felt his heart race, bursting with desire, affection and love for his pilot. He smiled, and they fell into each other, in a passionate kiss. Jake's tongue swept urgently at his lips, and he parted them with a breathless giggle, allowing the pilot to explore his mouth as if for the first time. His heart pounded rapidly, his body singing with contentment under the pilots touch; and he clung to Jake tightly, desperate to keep as much bare skin as he could in contact.

"I thought you were mad at me..." Jake said, finally pulling away to catch his breath. His eyes darted to the mark he'd left on Taylors throat, as Taylor giggled and kissed his pilots collarbone.

"I  _may_  have exaggerated..." Taylor said innocently, laughing when the pilots shoulders sagged in obvious relief.

"Life's never borin' with you around, is it, Boy Scout?" Jake huffed, shaking his head in amusement, his fingers trailing down Taylors cheek in a gentle caress.

"Hmm, I do  _try_  to keep you on your toes..." Taylor admitted with a secretive grin, recalling their trip to the lake while stuck in the time loop. Jake huffed a laugh, and drew him into another kiss, which made his entire body hum with happiness.

"Hmm, ya know..." Jake murmured thoughtfully, squinting back at the shore. "I'm pretty sure,  _everyone's_  down here for this Hullabaloo..."

 _"Jake!"_  Taylor giggled, arching against the pilot as he dragged his fingers along Taylors spine. "You really are just after me for my body, aren't you?" He laughed, as Jake hummed and ran an appreciative look over him.

"It's a definite perk, I'll give ya that..." He confessed, and Taylor bit his lip shyly, his heart swelling with affection from the unspoken words. "But, ya know... You  _did_  promise somethin' about a kiss earning -"

" _Oh my god_!" Taylor groaned, burying his face in the pilots chest as he sniggered and wrapped his arms tightly around his shoulders.

"C'mon, Boy Scout..." He whispered, his lips brushing against Taylors ear as heat and desire spiraled through him.

"You are  _such_  a bad influence..." Taylor mumbled in defeat, pressing a kiss to the pilots chest before peeking up. "I seem to find it extremely difficult to say no to you..."

"I'm gonna go ahead and say that's a damn good thing too..." Jake said, grinning smugly as he kissed him, hard and quick, as the others approached them. They sailed back to the beach, laughing and joking with Sean and the other Vaanti; and Taylor was hyper aware of every movement of his pilot, desire flaring in his gut as he fought to contain his overwhelming joy.

"You continue to impress me, Catalyst." Seraxa said, shaking her head as they drove their boards into the sand. Three Vaanti immediately claimed the damaged board, stripping off its sail and working together to fit a fresh one in minutes.

"A deal is a deal." Varyyn said, and Taylors eyes flew to Jake's as the pilot barked a rough laugh, which he immediately turned into a rough coughing fit. He glanced at Taylor, their eyes meeting in a heated gaze, as Taylor flushed red. "I said that a young Vaanti warrior must earn their mask, in a trial of  _quuk'tanoi,_  and you have proven yourselves." He explained, bowing his head to them in respect briefly, as Taylor cleared his throat and broke away from the pilots consuming gaze. "You have earned your mask. Here! Choose!" He ordered, beaming at Taylor proudly.

Taylor stepped forward to a small display, which held several Vaanti masks. He looked them all over, but his gaze was ultimately caught by a specific design. He grinned, as he grabbed the wolf mask and glanced at Jake, who winked in smug response. "Thank you, Varyyn!" Taylor said, shaking his head and forcing his thoughts away form the pilot, though he found the task increasingly difficult.

"There is no need for thanks." Varyyn insisted, his golden eyes glowing with peaceful joy as he beheld them. "Diego spoke much of your talents and character, yet still managed to undersell you."

Taylor laughed, his heart light from their camaraderie. Without thinking, he flipped the mask over and looked at the inside. The mask was old, and faded, but he could still make out a small engraving.  _Rosencraft and Sons... nineteen twenty one._  He read silently, glancing up in surprise. "Whoa, what does this mean?!" He asked, a prickle of understanding in the back of his mind, but it was quickly smothered by his sense of joy and rapidly peaking desire.

"Our people have long forgotten the meaning of those marks." Varyyn confessed, eyeing them thoughtfully. "But our ancestors masks had such symbols, thousands upon thousands upon thousands of years ago." He explained, gesturing toward the mask almost negligently. "It is tradition to make those marks in a new warriors mask." He cocked his head in a sudden epiphany, meeting Taylors eyes curiously. "It says something in your language?"

"Yeah, its the name of the people who made them..." Taylor replied, forwnong in confusion as he shook his head and raised a brow. "And, the date..."

"They must have been honoured craftsmen, to forge the masks of our brave forebearers..." Varyyn said proudly, beaming at Taylor briefly, before several Vaanti children ran up and dragged him away. Taylor chuckled, looking back down at the copied carving.

"Nineteen twenty one..." He hummed thoughtfully, though he was quickly distracted by a warm body pressing against his back. He grinned, as Jake's arms snaked around his waist, the pilots nose grazing his ear as he laid a light kiss against Taylors throat.

"Turns out our little match was inspiration to the spectators..." The pilot murmured lowly, as Taylor bit his lip, trying and failing to fight the surge of arousal he felt. "They're gonna have a  _whole tournament_  over the next coupla hours..."

"Is uh," Taylor croaked, clearing his throat as Jake slowly kissed the area again. "Is that so..?" He asked, tilting his head to allow the pilot more room.

"Hmm," the pilot hummed, his grin obvious against Taylors skin. "Thing is, I really think there's this  _urgent issue_  just come up, up top of Treesville..." He said innocently, causing heat to pool deep within Taylors stomach, at his low drawl.

"Oh?" He asked breathlessly, his hands coming to rest upon Jake's, fingers lacing as the pilots kiss pressed more insistently against his skin. "Is it uh, a  _big_  issue..?" He asked, giggling at Jake's snort of amusement.

"You tell me, Boy Scout..." Jake rumbled, his hips shifting slightly to grind his hard on against Taylors ass.

"That... that  _does_  feel like a pretty big issue..." Taylor gasped, his fingers digging into Jake's hands, as his body coursed with fire. Jake chuckled, his arms dropping from around Taylor and turning him to face him.

"I don't think there's gonna come a time when I don't want ya, Boy Scout..." The pilot admitted reluctantly, his fingers drawing shivers from Taylor, as he drew them lightly over his arms. "If ya don't wanna, I ain't gonna hold it agains-"

"Jake, shut up and kiss me already," Taylor growled, his hands rising to fist in the pilots hair. "Before I change my mind." He added, and almost instantly, the pilots lips descended upon his own with hungry desperation. Taylor met the pilots urgent kiss with his own, his tongue clashing with Jake's as he moaned and tugged at his hair lightly.

Jake groaned, his hands roving over Taylors bare back, tracing the muscles beneath his skin, before breaking away suddenly and snatching up his hand. Without a further word, they grabbed the pilots clothes, along with Taylors shirt and bag, and hurried up the beach. The elevator was already waiting at the bottom, and they rode it up to the top of the great tree city, with a fierce haze of desire building between them. At the highest platform, they stepped off, and made their way toward the Elyyshar's throne room; abandoned like the rest of the city. Jake pushed open the doors, and then hesitated, looking to Taylor to be certain he hadn't changed his mind. Taylor grinned mischievously, and shoved the pilot inside, checking the walkways were empty before ducking inside himself with a giggle.

He was immediately pressed against the wall, his things falling to the floor when his arms rose around Jake's shoulders, as the pilot closed the door. He groaned, arching against Jake as the pilots hands slid slowly along his sides. He felt the insistent press of Jake's arousal against his groin, and his body ached for the contact of skin against skin. He dragged his fingernails over the pilots shoulder blades, eliciting a surprised but pleased moan from the other man, as his hands slowly fell to the pilots swim shorts. "I  _think..._  these might be in the way of that big issue you told me about..." Taylor murmured, his eyes raising to Jake's as he delicately unlaced the garment, and lowered them to Jake's thighs, allowing the wet fabric to fall to the floor. "Hmm, yep... that's  _much_  better..." He mumbled, pressing a soft kiss to Jake's shoulder, as he wrapped his hand around the other mans hard flesh.

Jake snorted at Taylors absurdity, swallowing heavily as he shuddered against him, his body twitching at Taylors every touch. "I dunno how you do it..." The pilot muttered, his clear eyes clouding with desire. Taylor glanced up, raising a brow in silent query, as Jake's fingers slowly slid his shorts and underwear over his hips, revealing his burgeoning erection. "Every time I think you can't surprise me anymore, you manage to do just that..." Jake murmured, as he slowly leaned in to claim Taylors lips in a deep and languid kiss. His tongue stroked at Taylors, as he pressed him harder against the wall, his arousal throbbing as his lips moved against Taylors hungrily.

Taylor whimpered with needful desire, pushing back against the wall to slowly guide Jake across the room. Their kiss broke abruptly, as Jake's legs hit the throne, and he sat heavily, as Taylor snickered briefly. Without giving the pilot time to complain, he climbed into his lap, kneeling just inside of the arm rests at either side. "Well, if this is what its like to be the king... I could  _definitely_  get used to this..." Jake said lowly, his eyes locked onto Taylor, as he rocked his hips forward against his pilots. Jake hissed, his hands sliding over Taylors thighs, to come to a rest on his ass, squeezing as he encouraged him to repeat the motion.

Taylor grinned, leaning down to seal his mouth over Jake's, his tongue eagerly sweeping over the pilots as he drew the slick muscle into his mouth and sucked it gently. Jake groaned, his fingers digging into the flesh of Taylors ass briefly, before he caressed the area soothingly. "Holy  _shit,_  Boy Scout..." Jake cursed, drawing back to lean his head against the back of the throne and watch Taylor arch and squirm in his lap. "I could watch you  _all day..."_  He breathed in encouragement, squeezing Taylors ass and rolling his hips against his own.

 _"Hmm..."_  Taylor moaned quietly, his hands trailing over Jake's arms and torso, tracing the flesh almost hypnotically, as his blood blazed with fire. He tilted his hips, and rocked against the pilot once more, his eyes locked on Jake's blissful expression as his entrance brushed the head of his cock. "Feelings mutual, Top Gun..." He murmured, licking shyly at the fingers Jake raised to his lips. He slowly sucked the digits into his mouth, groaning as he teased himself by rocking over Jake's hard flesh once again. He curled his tongue around tthe pilots fingers, sucking lightly as Jake stared at him, utterly enraptured by his display. He felt desire flood through his gut, and he nipped Jake's finger as he withdrew suddenly, swooping down to claim a hungry kiss from his pilot instead.

His tongue collided with Jake's desperately, his body arching as the pilot shifted, his hard cock sliding hot and thick against Taylors ass, before he resettled himself. His hand slid between them, and Taylor gasped, groaning as the pilots slicked fingers swept over his entrance and pressed inside.  _"Mmm..."_  He moaned, Jake's free hand clamping tightly around the back of his thigh, as his fingers hitched deep into his ass. He rolled his hips forward, as his teeth grazed Jake's lip, nipping sharply as he drew back to bury his face against the pilots throat.

"Holy shit, you're hot..." Jake muttered, his fingers hooking within him more urgently, as Taylor dragged his teeth over his collarbone. Taylor's body swirled with heat, an ache resonating from deep within his heart as he rocked himself back against Jake's fingers. "Aw, fu-"

 _"Jake..."_  He groaned breathlessly, turning his face to the ceiling as the pilots fingers caressed the nerves in his ass which made him clench tightly around the intrusion. "Hmm, please..." He breathed, rolling his hips back against Jake's hesitating fingers, as he reached down to stroke his throbbing cock. "Oh,  _fuck..._  fuck,  _please,_  Jake... ye-uh!"

His babbling was silenced by Jake's urgent claiming of his lips, his fingers hastily retreating from his ass and quickly replaced by the head of Jake's cock. Taylor ground himself against his pilot, his ass barely giving around the hard flesh before he lifted himself back off. He gasped, and smirked, as Jake groaned and squeezed his hip, nipping his lip as he freed them from his kiss. "You're bein' a  _goddamn_  tease today..." He hissed, as Taylor rubbed his ass over the pilots cock again, biting his lip at the fever of desire in his pilots clear eyes.

"Hmm," Taylor hummed, the fingers of one hand curling into Jake's hair. "You bring it out in me..." He murmured, his body stilling its ceaseless motions, as he finally lowered himself to the pilots cock. "You make me-  _hmm!"_  He gasped, biting his lip and arching his neck, as his ass gave to the pilots cock, finally sinking around the hot flesh. Jake groaned, his eyes locked on their joining bodies as he reclined across Varyyn's throne, his face flushed with heat and desire.  _"Jake!"_  Taylor gasped, his thoughts forgotten entirely as the pilot thrust upwards gently, urging his cock deeper into Taylors ass.

"Holy shit, Taylor..." Jake groaned, his hips beginning a slow rocking motion, as he raised his eyes to Taylors expressive face.  _"Fuck-"_  he cursed, as Taylor shifted his hips and began to move back against Jake. Their rhythm grew stronger, Taylor rising and falling to meet the pilots thrusts eagerly, bouncing in the pilots lap as Jake growled a constant string of expletive curses and encouragements.

 _"Jake..!"_  Taylor cried, as the pilot struck the nerves in his ass, and Jake huffed a choked chuckle, as he tightened his grip on Taylors thighs, his eyes alight with intent.

"Hold on, Boy Scout..." He murmured gruffly, as he increased his pace, his position realigning to strike Taylors prostate with military precision.

"Shit, that's not fair,  _hnnng!"_  Taylor babbled, his heart racing as Jake repeatedly slid into him, overwhelming his body with intense waves of pleasure. He leaned forward, his head resting against the back of the throne as Jake hungrily kissed what parts of his chest and throat that he could reach.  _"Jake..."_  He groaned, his fingers tightening in the pilots hair as he clenched his ass around the pilots cock.

"Fu-" Jake choked, a deep growl rumbling through his chest as his cock began to pulse within Taylor. Just as the pilots orgasm struck, he curled his fingers around Taylors cock, stroking him to completion only moment behind himself. "Tayl-" his groan was cut short, Taylors mouth falling to his own as he slumped against him. What began as a messy and urgent, needy kiss, turned lazy and affectionate, as the highs from their climaxes slowly abated and their breathing returned to normal.

"How'd you  _do_  that..?" Taylor asked lightly, his lips finally parting from Jake's to trail along his shoulder softly.

"Natural talent." Jake replied glibly, as Taylor giggled. "Though uh, what exactly is it I did this time..?" He asked with obvious amusement, his fingers caressing Taylors spine, making him shiver from the light contact.

"Convince me to do crazy things, make me see the stars, make me wish  _that_  would just, never have to end..." Taylor snickered, biting the pilots shoulder briefly. "Take your pick."

Jake snorted, his fingers pinching Taylors ass quickly in retaliation, as he grinned lopsidedly. "Well, as uh, amazing as I know I am..." He said, huffing contently as Taylor swatted his shoulder. "I'll have to quote what some hot little imp said to me once; it's not me..." He murmured, as Taylor broke out in a huge grin and buried his burning face in the pilots shoulder. "It's  _us._ "

"Wow, sounds like a sappy idiot." Taylor sniggered, sitting back slightly to meet the pilots amused gaze. "That was corny as hell, you know that, right?" He said, laughing when Jake jabbed him in the ribs playfully. He leaned down to capture Jake's lips with his own, his eyes flicking up to the pilots as he whispered against them. "Guess I'll have to let it slide this once..."

"Hmm, real generous of ya, Boy Scout." Jake huffed in amusement, drawing Taylor against him as he kissed him passionately. "Come on," he sighed as they parted, slapping Taylors ass with a grin, and causing him to yelp in surprise. "Much as I'd enjoy keepin' ya here the rest of the day, we'd best get you back to your little band of Merry Men..."

"Hmm, tournaments probably close to over by now..." Taylor agreed, biting his lip as he flushed guiltily. "And... We should probably clean up..." He added, glancing down at the evidence of their activities between them.

"Hey, you're the messy one." Jake sniggered, as Taylor gave a scandalized gasp and slapped his arm.

"You-  _oof!"_  Taylor huffed, his cheeks staining dark red as he eased himself off of Jake's lap. "You know how to spoil the moment, don't you Top Gun?" He pouted, turning towards his things.

"Okay, okay; I'll make it up to ya..." Jake snorted, quickly stepping around him to grab something to clean Taylor off with. He gently swiped the fabric over Taylors stomach, raising a brow as he hesitated. "Wait, did you want me to lick it off fir-"

 _"Jake!"_  Taylor laughed, melting into the pilots embrace as he wrapped his arms around him smugly.

"Hey, just offerin' a service." Jake sniggered, as he finished cleaning them both off, and then handed the shirt to Taylor.

"Hey!" He gasped, looking up in surprise.  _"That's-!"_  Jake winked at him unashamedly, smirking as he waggled his eyebrows.

"Guess ya need somethin' else to wear, then." He said, shrugging his shoulders in blatantly feigned innocence, as he walked over to his own pile of clothes.

 _"Jake..!"_  Taylor snorted, shaking his head as he followed after his pilot and gripped his jaw firmly. "You are ridiculous. You know that, right?" He said, his eyes dancing with amusement and compassion as he crashed their mouths together in a fervent kiss which stole his pilots breath. "You are aware there's  _literally,_  no one, for you to be jealous of? I mean, like,  _ever."_  He said, as he released him, hiccupping an amused giggle.

"I dunno..." Jake drawled slowly, his arm curling around Taylors waist. "I got this  _sudden urge_ ; to be jealous more often..." He said, his face disappearing into the side of Taylors throat as he giggled at his pilot. Jake grazed his teeth over the mark he'd left on Taylors throat, kissing it fondly before moving higher up his neck.

"You're ridiculous." Taylor repeated, shaking his head as he craned his neck and sucked in a deep breath. "And  _insatiable..."_  He sniggered, as Jake remained latched against his throat.  _"Jaaake!_  We're supposed to be getting dressed!" He whined, as the pilot grinned against his skin.

"You shouldn't kiss people like that if you don't like the consequences..." Jake murmured, sucking lightly at the junction of his shoulder and neck.

"Did  _not_  say I didn't like..." Taylor muttered, unconsciously tugging Jake closer.

"Hmm..." Jake hummed, drawing back to smirk at him suggestively. "In that case... Five more minut-"

 _"No!"_  Taylor said firmly, laughing as he swatted Jake's shoulder and tore himself free from his embrace. "Your _five more minutes_  is never 'five minutes'!" He giggled, as he moved over to his bag and began to root through for some clothes.

"Thought you couldn't say no to me..?" Jake groused, pouting after him as he drew out his shirt, shorts and sunglasses from when they'd first left The Celestial.

"I said I found it extremely difficult sometimes...  _usually,_  in fact..." Taylor corrected, winking as he slid his shorts on. "I'm teaching myself though... It's an ongoing struggle." He sniggered, as Jake groaned and finally gave up, reluctantly throwing his clothes on.

Jake grumbled to himself mutinously, as Taylor dressed himself, sniggering at the pilots sullen expression. He threw his old clothes in his bag and slung it over his shoulder, grinning as he walked over to where Jake was holding the door open for him. He pressed a brief kiss to the pilots cheek before skipping out the doorway, hearing his pilot give an amused snicker before following behind him, and they made their way in companionable silence back to the elevator.

Taylor felt a soft smile curving his lips, his heart filled with contentment at the ever increasing sense of love and devotion he felt towards all his friends; but especially, his pilot. His smile grew, as Jake's hand slid naturally into his own, and he looked up to meet clear eyes watching him intently. Jake said nothing, but Taylor could see the affection in his soft gaze, and the crooked hitch of his lips. He bit his lip, as the elevator came to a halt, and they stepped off as one to rejoin their group by the long tables of food and drink.

"Taylor! Where've you been, dude?" Diego called, waving him over as Jake moved away to get a drink, his fingers lingering against Taylors until hr finally stepped out of reach. "You missed the rest of the tournament, it was amazing! There was this..."

Taylor lost track of what his friend was saying, absorbed by the overwhelming warmth radiating from within his racing heart. He looked around the gathering of his friends, affection swarming him as he watched them swap enthusiastically re-enacted stories of their day and laughter filled the air. His eyes found Jake, browsing through the available drinks with such a serious expression that Taylor almost felt himself burst from the rush of happiness which filled him. "Dude!" He snapped back to himself with an undignified squawk, as Diego jabbed him firmly in the ribs.

 _"What?!"_  He yelped guiltily, turning towards Diego with a start. "What, I didn't-" he coughed, breaking off suddenly as Diego raised a brow at him. "Uh, sorry... What?" He asked again, clearing his throat.

"Taylor, I don't know whether to tell you it's cute or sickening, but dude... You've got it so bad, I'm amazed you guys are even here." Diego said, shaking his head in equal disgust and amusement.

"It was a close call..." Taylor admitted with a laugh, as Diego wrinkled his nose. "But that wasn't what I was thinking about. I'm just happy, man... Right now, right here... And I'm just enjoying that." He explained lightly, smiling at his friend, as Diego clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Taylor..." He said, his gaze softening as he raised his free hand to his heart. "That was  _beautiful._  Really, I just, I wa-"

"Oh my god,  _why_  am I even your friend?" Taylor pouted, and though the words were his own, and Diego merely sniggered at him; Taylor felt a sharp twist of pain in his gut suddenly. He was just reaching to examine the feeling, when he was distracted by Raj, slurping loudly from a fruity cocktail.

"Guys, guys..!" The large boy called, gathering everyone's attention. "Let's promise we'll all do this again when we're back in the States!"

Instantly, the precious bubble of warmth he'd found himself floating in, evaporated around him; the sudden reminder of everyone leaving the island,settling like a rock in his gut. A great rush of air escaped him, his head light as dizziness swept through him like a cargo train. "Taylor?" Diego asked worriedly, steadying him as he fumbled for the table to lean against.

"Yeah, I'm good." Taylor said, smiling at his friend warmly. "Too much fun in the sun today..." He added with a forced chuckle, glancing away to hide the pain he was sure would show in his eyes.  _Bad enough they're all going to leave me... But, Jake.._. He swallowed thickly, blinking rapidly to force away the tears which stung his eyes.  _I thought I only felt this way because of Cetus... Why?! Why does leaving feel so impossible for me..?_ He wondered in frustration, his heart aching painfully.

"Definitely," Diego said, in reply to Raj's suggestion, ignorant of the rapid shift in Taylors mood beside him. "Maybe even invite some of our new friends?" Diego added hopefully, glancing towards Varyyn entirely unsubtly.

"That sounds so fun!" Grace cheered, her fingers steepling in excitement. "I can't wait to show you guys my favourite bookstores back home!"

"And my favourite brunch spots!" Michelle added, beaming at Grace as they shared a high five and giggled excitedly.

"Brunch? I don't... think I've ever had brunch." Estela admitted uncertainly, toying with the ends of her hair nervously.

"Oh.  _My god."_  Michele gasped, growing her arms around Estela and drawing her onto a hug. "You are  _so_  coming." She insisted, her tone broking no argument, as Estela blushed and awkwardly broke away from her grasp.

"I'm...  _invited?"_  The dark haird girl asked hesitantly, sweeping her bangs behind her ears.

"Of  _course,_  silly!" Grace giggled, attaching herself to Estela's arm.

"Huh..." Estela huffed, blinking in surprise, before her usual blank expression melted into a warm smile. "Thanks."

With every excited snippet of banter, Taylors heart sank and he clutched at his bag tightly, ready to flee; when he noticed Sean clap Jake on the back with a grin. "I could score you some front-row seats to our bowl game if you want, Jake." He said, winking conspiratorially as he leaned in close. "Since I know you're such a big Sean Gayle fan and all..."

Taylors breath caught in his throat, as he watched his pilot flinch, his face falling as he shook his head. "Heh...  _Nah-"_  he began to say, clearly struggling with his emotions, as Craig eagerly butted in.

"Come on, bro, we'd love to have you." The jock said, beaming a wide grin at the pilot as he raised a glass towards him.

"That's alright-" Jake tried again, and Taylor felt his heart breaking at the awkward set to his shoulders. He gripped his bag tighter, his eyes darting between Jake and the others as his breath came faster, his heart pounding against his ribcage frantically as he recalled Jake's story from the first night they'd spent together.

"I know you're too cool for these guys," Zahra chipped in, tossing back a drink as she winked over at him. "But so am I, and I'm still hanging out with them." She said, as Taylor grit his teeth, his eyes stinging for entirely new reasons than his fears over being alone.

"So, whaddya say?" Sean pushed, as Taylor looked away his tears falling against his wishes, as a hollow ringing sensation resounded in his ears. "Why not?"

" _Because he can't, alright_?!" Taylor snarled, glaring out at the ocean as his irritation got the better of him. In the stunned silence that followed, he tensed suddenly, as his mind caught up with his body's reaction. "I, uh, I mean..." He swallowed heavily, and slowly forced himself to look around the stunned group, until his eyes found Jake; turning away with his hands on his hips, his long hair falling across his face as he shook his head.

"I can't go back." Jake's voice drifted back to him, broken in a way Taylor had hoped never to hear. Even in Zahra's vision, the pilot had been filled with fire and determination; as opposed to the hopeless and empty drawl he heard now. "I can't  _ever_  go back home."

Taylor could hear the pilots heavy swallow, before he turned with determination, watching them all with a hard gleam in his eyes that did not belong. "I'm a wanted man." He explained, "The second I set foot on U.S. soil, they'll put me in handcuffs, and send me to prison for life."

Taylor closed his eyes, recalling the time when Jake had confessed everything to him, when he'd finally trusted him enough to share his life with him; only for the entire conversation to have been erased when time had been reset.

"You  _must_  be joking!" Aleister exclaimed, his eyes wide as his arms fell to his sides from where they'd been crossed over his chest.

"What did you  _do?!"_  Craig demanded, his jaw dropping in surprise and an obvious hint of awe. Taylor opened his eyes to flare at him, but instead unleashed a fresh wave of vision blurring tears.

 _"Craig-!"_  Michelle scolded, only for the Jo to round on her before she could finish.

 _"What?!"_  Craig exclaimed, his eyes wide as he spread his arms toward Jake. "It's not like I'm asking something  _personal!_  We gotta trust  _him,_  he's gotta trust  _us!"_

"Drax is right... I oughta tell you the truth." Jake conceded quietly, though he still hesitated. "I..."

Taylor bit his lip, lowering his gaze to his feet as he wiped his eyes forcefully. He started in surprise, when a finger curled beneath his chin, drawing his gaze to cerulean eyes which seemed to see straight through him. "You... You knew, didn't you..?" The pilot asked, ignoring the others as his throat bobbed in nervous agitation.

Taylor hesitated, before he nodded shyly. "I... I'm sorry..." He whispered, squeezing his eyes shut as he forced the words out. "I... Back in my room, when we first..." He flushed, frustration building within him as he failed to think of a way to explain.

"Shit..." Jake cursed, before Taylor was surprised by the pilot rushing against him with a hard kiss. Though it lasted only seconds, Taylor was left breathless, his mind feeling as his hands rose to the pilots jacket collar, holding on to steady himself as he lost his balance. Jake rested his forehead to Taylors, huffing a half hysterical laugh as he cupped Taylors cheeks. "I didn't think you remembered..."

"Wait,  _what?"_  Taylor asked, jerking away as he stared at Jake in wide eued surprise. "You-"

"Blues Clues over there bust through your window..." Jake said, nodding towards where Varyyn watched them with wide eyes, swallowing thickly as his own eyes glistened at the memory. "And you,  _heh-"_  he choked, shaking his head as if in disbelief. "You charged him like an idiot... Then, you were  _dying_  Taylor, and there was  _nothin'_  I could do to stop it..." He said, his lips capturing Taylors again in a brief gesture of self reassurance. "You told me to get his necklace, and... Next thing I knew I was lyin' next to ya in bed again. I thought I was goddamn crazy..." He whispered harshly, before biting his lip.

 _"Jake..."_  Taylor murmured, one hand rising to thread itself through the pilots hair. "I'm so sorry..." He whispered, peppering the pilots hairline with gentle kisses. He closed his eyes as they embraced, both taking and giving comfort, as they allowed themselves to adjust to the realisation that they'd both been hurting over the memory they'd believed to be lost.

"Uh, can we skip the part where you two make out; and get back to the part where Jake's a freakin' fugitive?" Raj asked loudly, causing them to part as they realised the audience they had. Taylor glanced at Diego, who's aghast expression made Taylor wince; instantly knowing his friend had overheard Jake's rushed mumblings.

"Diego, don't-" he began, his friend to throw his arms around him and cut him off. "Aw, c'mon dude... This is unnecessary..." Taylor huffed, rolling his eyes and ruffling his friends hair fondly, as Jake held his other hand hostage, refusing to let go.

 _"Ahem..."_  Jake said loudly, clearing his throat as he glanced around the others guiltily, and finally nodded. Taylor squeezed his hand, and Jake seemed to bloster his nerve at the gesture, launching into his story determinedly. "Me and my best friend at the Academy, this guy Mike..." He paused, swallowing thickly before pushing himself onwards. "Both of us got recruited into this U.S. covert ops unit, running missions in Central Asia. We were wingmates, aiding the Kharzistani rebellion, when Mike discovered something." He said, his eyes flashing with pain, before he scowled fiercely at the ground, his hand curling tightly around Taylors. "Our commander, Rex Lundgren; a real  _asshole_  this guy, was illegally selling weapons to the tyrants we were supposed to be fighting."

Jake paused, sucking in a deep, shuddering breath as the words stuck in his throat. Taylor gently disentangled himself from Diego, and pressed himself to Jake's side, his chin resting on the pilots shoulder in support. Jake glanced at him, a crooked but grateful grin on his lips as their eyes locked. "We were gathering evidence to turn him in..." Jake said, and Taylor frowned as his eyes flashed with something between guilt and shame, before he averted them to the group. "But, he found out... Sent us on a standard recon. It was an ambush. Shot out of the sky by the dictator's forces." He said quickly, his explanation clipped in his desire to spit the words out as fast as he could.

"And Mike, he..." Grace asked leadingly, her crestfallen expression showing she already knew the answer.

Taylor wrapped his arms around Jake's shoulders, holding him as the pilots face fell. "Didn't make it." He confirmed quietly, patting Taylors arm as he pressed his lips to the pilots shoulder. "By the time I crawled back from behind enemy lines, military police were there to arrest me. Lundgren made it look like the illegal arms sales were all me and Mike..." He said, shaking his head as he snorted vindictively. "I punched the son of a bitch square in the jaw, and ran. Ain't never stopped running since." He admitted, glancing at Taylor thoughtfully, before sighing and looking back at the rest of the group.

 _"That's_  why I can never go back to the States." Jake said, his voice weary from the emotionally draining retelling of his past. "That's why... that's why I cant even contact my sister. Or, tell Mike's family, he wasn't a traitor."

 _"Jake..."_  Michelle said, her caramel eyes heavy with tears. "I'm so sorry..." The blonde said, copying Taylors gesture and wrapping her arms around his torso.

"We had no idea-" Sean began, resting his hand on the pilots shoulder in apology, his face twisted with guilt for the many arguments they'd had; and the assumptions he'd made.

"Whoa,  _whoa..."_  Jake huffed, shooing them away with a dry chuckle, as everyone crowded around to offer him support. "Not looking for a pity party. Just... saying why I can't join your little shindig."

Taylor felt his heart ache with loss, already feeling the gap forming between them, from the pilots intentions to leave. He shoved his own feelings aside however, and painted a confident grin on his face, determined to at least make sure everyone would have the idea to check on his pilot for him. "Jake," he said, clearing his throat when it cracked painfully. "When all this is over, everyone is gonna come visit you in Costa Rica!" He said firmly, raising a brow at the others until they all cheered in agreement. "After all, if you can't come home, then, well... Why not have home come to you?" He said warmly, squeezing Jake's shoulders briefly, before releasing him.

 _"Wooo!"_  Raj cheered loudly, high fiving with Craig eagerly. " _Party in Costa Ricaaaa_!"

 _"Chyeah!"_  Craig agreed, beaming a huge grin at the pilot as he pumped the air with his fists. "I'm already pumped for this!"

"You'd come visit?" Jake repeated, looking around in stunned surprise. He shook his head, cheeks dusting pink as he regained some of his cocky attitude. "Maybe that wouldn't be so bad..." He said quietly, a wide grin forming as he turned towards looked around the group.

Taylor drew in a deep breath, refusing to give into the desire to cry, despite the way his heart was aching. He was surprised when a hand caught his shoulder, and he turned to see Jake beside him, drawing him away from the others slightly. "So, you gonna be comin' to see me too, Boy Scout?" He asked quietly, a nervous rigidity to his shoulders.

"I-"

"You said everyone, yeah..." Jake said, cutting him off with a small frown. "But you never said you'd be with 'em..."

Taylor ducked his head guiltily, biting his lip as he considered confessing his feelings about actually leaving. He thought back to the day at the marina, and how terrified he'd been of leaving; until Jake had been about to leave without him. The realisation melted the ice in his heart somewhat, enough to paint a more natural and convincing smile on his face. He laced his fingers together with Jake's, raising them to his lips briefly before meeting the pilots increasingly concerned gaze. "I'm not allowed to ever leave your side, remember?" He asked softly, a shy chuckle escaping him as Jake's eyes widened. "I mean, I did say that life on a beach sounded magical... So long as you had someone to share it wit-"

His words fell short, silenced by Jake's insistent lips against his own. He made no effort to deepen the kiss, merely showing Taylor the gratitude and emotions he couldn't put into words. "Dammit..." Jake groaned, drawing back to rest their foreheads together. "Why'd I let you drag is outta that throne room?" He muttered darkly, and Taylor laughed as realisation struck him.

"So  _that's_  why you were so keen on that idea..!" He snorted, as Jake grimaced guiltily. "Is that why you're so weird with Varyyn?" He asked, tilting his head as Jake huffed an exaggerated sigh.

"I'm nothing of the sort." The pilot scoffed, as Taylor grinned knowingly at him and bit his lip. "Besides-"

"You're terrible..." Taylor sniggered, before drawing back thoughtfully and sobering slightly. "Jake, don't hold it against Varyyn... I know, believe me, I know how hard it is... But, he's not the same person now that he was then. And, you can't keep hold on a grudge against him for something he technically hasn't even done..."

"Wanna wager on that, Boy Scout?" Jake growled petulantly, as Taylor rolled his eyes.

"Jake...  _Please."_  He said, smiling when the pilot groaned in defeat. "He and Diego are... getting close. I don't wanna spoil-" he cut off with a yelp, as the bushes parted at the end of the beach, and Furball came tearing out.

 _"Mrrrrlkkk!"_  The little ice fox chirped, snatching a ball in his teeth and scampering off into the jungle.

"Our ball!" Seraxa cried, her outrage and surprise clear.

Taylor sighed and rolled his eyes, but grinned as he pressed a kiss to Jake's fingers. "To be continued..." He said, giggling when the pilot winked suggestively at him. "Not that!" He laughed, shoving Jake toward the others lightly, as the pilot snickered. He shook his head and turned to Seraxa, waving to get her attention. "I'll go get it!" He called, twisting his bag behind him before he set off after Furball, chasing him into the jungle.

The little blue fox rounded a corner, sprinted through some trees and hopped over a creek, leading taylor to a grove where Aleister and Zahra were standing in front of a small concrete bunker. "Hey, how did you guys...  _Whoa..!"_  Taylor gasped, his words forgotten as he beheld the decrepit the bunker. "What's going on here?" He asked, his voice instinctively dropping to a whisper.

 _"Shush!"_  Aleister scolded, holding up anfist as they'd often seen Jake do.  _"Listen!"_  He ordered in a harsh whisper of his own, as Taylor fell quiet and obeyed. He frowned, at first noticing nothing but the sounds of the rainforest, until he picked up a soft, electronic tone. "There it is again..." Aleister mumbled thoughtfully.

"What is it?" Taylor asked, a faint headache forming at the back of his head.

"We don't know..." Zahra admitted, her eyes locked onto the bunker. "We got a little lost, returning to The Never-ending Scavenger Hunt and started hearing it. Followed it here." She explained, as Aleister walked over and tugged on the door; which swung open without even a creak.

"Okay, anybody else getting a little creeped out?" Taylor asked nervously, rubbing the back of his head distractedly.

"You mean, more than usual, in this place?" Zahra asked, bumping her fist into his shoulder with more force than strictly necessary, as she pushed to her feet.

Grimacing, Taylor followed the others closer to the strange sounds origins, the three of them entering the small bunker; which was full of worn down, scientific equipment. Furball whimpered, following them inside cautiously. Taylor crouched down, offering Furball his arm and allowing the small animal to scamper up to his shoulders. "It looks like this connects to the same tunnels as the emergency shelter, near The Celestial!" Taylor said as he straightened, his eyes wide as he beheld the familiar looking doors.

Aleister ignored him, poring over some old papers on a desk, while Zahra tinkered with a bear up computer. "What..?" Taylor wondered aloud, frowning around the small bunker in confusion.  _"Is_  this..?"

"I suppose one of my father's research outposts." Aleister finally replied, sneering at the thought of his father. Taylor grit his teeth, as pain flared behind his eyes, rubbing them lightly with his fingers. "A particularly  _old_  one, by the look of it... These notes go back at least twenty years." He said with a sneer, as the soft tone sounded again. With it, a blue light pulsed weakly on one console.

Taylor felt his head ache in time with the dully throbbing light, but grit his teeth as he approached slowly. "It's coming from in here..." He said quietly.

"Power supply's weak." Zahra said blandly, clucking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, and narrowing her eyes thoughtfully. "Signal can barely get through... But, if I can do  _this-"_  she said with a grunt, already reaching into a panel on the computers side, where she pressed two wired together. It booted up with a whirr, lights flickering all around, as computer code scrolled by on all the monitors.  _"Voila!_  We have our very own functional, Rourke Industries computer!" She said proudly, as the pain in Taylors head focused sharply behind his eyes.

"Are we sure this is a good thing?" He gasped, his hand pressed against his brow as he crumpled against another console.

"Taylor, are you-" Aleister began to ask, eyeing him in concern, only to be interrupted by a shocked looking Zahra.

"I mean, what's the worst that could hap-" Before she could finish, a blue spotlight shot down from a fixture over head. Taylor gasped and bent double, the pain in his head pulsing wildly as he came to understand what the luring beep had been. The light flickered on the ground, and formed into a familiar shape.

"Now, don't be frightened-" Iris said urgently, her palms raised placatingly.

 _"You!"_  Aleister snarled, his hands curling into fists.

 _"Crap!_  She's back!" Zahra cried, reaching for the console to yank out the hotwired cables for the holographic display.

"Wait!" Iris pleaded, her eyes widening as she realised what the girl was going to do. "Listen to me! There's something I have to tell you!"

"Zahra," Taylor said, laying his hand over hers as the pain in his head subsided. He met her panicked eyes calmly, a small but hollow smile on his lips. "Hear her out."

"Are you out of your  _mind,_  Taylor?" Aleister demanded, jabbing an accusing finger at the crestfallen A.I. "That  _thing_  is a direct line to my father!"

"She saved my life." Taylor reminded them, turning towards Iris with a small sigh. "Besides, if we were compromised because of her, it would already be too late. Might as well hear her out, seeing as she knows how to get everyone off the island." He said tiredly, the hollowness in his chest slowly spreading through him.

"I'm pleased to see you're alright, Taylor. I was... concerned." Iris confessed shyly, distracting Taylor from the sense of foreboding growing in his heart. The holograms face fell, her eyes sad as she looked around them. "I know you probably don't trust me, how could you?" She said haltingly, as Aleister sneered and folded his arms over his chest.

"I trust you." Taylor said warmly, offering his hand Ina parody of a high five, which Iris reciprocated with a giggle. Taylor felt the itch of the hologram against his skin briefly, but then it was gone; and he was left frowning in confusion.

"Thankyou, Taylor." Iris said gratfully, turning towards the others with more confidence. "I swear, I'm telling the truth... Taylor is correct. I know how to get you home."

 _"What?!"_  Aleister barked incredulously, scowling at the A.I. distrustfully.

"I know, I know... It sounds positively insane." Iris sighed, before straightening determinedly. "But I'm not lying. I can get you all off this island, back home.  _All_  of you." She said, as Taylor grimaced and averted his eyes, his gut twisting in discomfort.

"Guys, is it me, or does this Iris sound..." Zahra said, faltering as she searched for the right words. "Kind of, different..?" She finally asked, glancing over at them uncertainly.

"More emotional and honest you mean, with a more pronounced British accent..?" Taylor asked, huffing an unamused sigh. "No, didn't notice at all..." He snarked dryly, as Zahra bumped her fist into his shoulder.

"More,  _human..."_  Zahra corrected slowly, though her eyes were still distrustful as she peered at the hologram thoughtfully.

"Well, I don't buy it for an instant!" Aleister snarled, scowling at the A.I. furiously. "I don't care how human she seems now, with whatever upgrade my father gave her...  _This is still a trap!"_  He growled.

"Aleister, please..." Iris said sadly, her eyes glimmering as if wet with tears. "You have to trust me..."

"Tell me something, Iris.." Aleister scoffed, rolling his eyes as he sighed disparagingly. "Why, should I possibly trust you?"

"You know why, darling." She said warmly, and Aleister paused, his frame locking in sudden surprise.

"Whatever could you mean?" He asked, both curious and hesitant. "What do I know?" He asked slowly, his expression guarded as he stared at the hologram.

"I know you were very young, but isn't there  _some_  part of you that still remembers me?" Iris asked, her eyes searching Aleister almost desperately, as his face fell.

"It can't be." He denied forcefully, paling further as he staggered backwards. "You.. You're  _dead."_

"Yes, Aleister, I  _am..."_  She said sadly, her expression morphing into a soft smile of determination. "But, I'm  _still_  your mother."


	10. Toward A New Horizon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings fair folk of La Huerta. I returneth!
> 
> First off; huge huge HUGE thanks to everyone who commented last time and perked me up, because i was havin some major doubts.  
> Ive mostly kicked that though, i think... theres parts of this i adore - and naturally parts i dont... but i hope most of all; that YOU enjoy xxx thankyou. 
> 
> x My love to you all x

_**Dear Jake;** _

_My heart has been broken so many times on this... journey... But, the day you first came face to face with Lundgren..? That's right up there near the top of the stingers._

_That bastards arrogance, thinking any of us would let him get his disgusting hands on you, let him take you away... let alone, that I would..?_

_You know, I've always been the type to avoid lethal violence... unless it was Rourke getting beaten to a pulp... But right off the though, Lundgren; I wanted to kill._

**10.**

**Toward A New Horizon.**

Taylor watched as Aleister choked and gasped, their faces lit by the blue glow of Iris's hologram. His heart thrummed with compassion for the pale boy, whose wide eyes were locked onto Iris's loving and hopeful expression. "I know you were very young Aleister, but do you not even recognize my voice?" She asked softly, her fingers twitching with the obvious desire to touch the pale boy, to give comfort which she would never be able to.

"I..." Aleister balked, shaking his head firmly in denial. "You're voice is-"

Iris watched him sadly, before she closed her eyes, her lips curling softly _. "I told my love a story with no end... I gave my love a baby with no crying, and then_..." She sang quietly, breaking off and opening her eyes, when Aleister gasped.

"...  _Mother?!"_  He choked, his eyes wide as his arms fell to his sides, gripping the nearest console for support. "It's... it's  _you!"_  He stammered, shaking his head in disbelief, as he stared at the smiling hologram.

"Hold up." Zahra demanded, raising her hands towards them, as if to ward them off. "What in the name of fork-exec is going on here?" She asked, her eyes flitting between Aleister and Iris.

"Iris was human once." Taylor said gently, resting his hand on Aleister's shoulder briefly, before walking around Iris to stand beside her. "Her name was Imogen then... And she was Rourke's wife. Aleister, was their son."

"How the bloody hell do  _you_  know any of this?" Aleister demanded, his face a furious snarl, as he pushed himself upright and staggered closer. "How long have you-"

"That headache I had just now?" Taylor said gently, tapping his head pointedly. "Well, let's call it a Memory Migraine... My head feels like its gonna split itself in half, and then... I see something I'd once forgotten, because of a uh... time loop..." He explained, trailing off weakly as he considered how ridiculous he sounded.

"That is  _utterly-"_

"Blood pressure analysis and voice modulation software indicates Taylor is telling the truth." Iris said, her eyes flashing as she scanned him, much to Taylors amusement. "I can also provide data recorded from a one hour and twelve minute time loop, experienced during the mission to rescue Diego..." She added helpfully, before frowning at Taylor thoughtfully. "But, how did you know..?"

"Because, you told me." Taylor said, smiling at her wistfully. He sighed, moving over to the wall, and leaning against it as he slid to the floor tiredly, his arms coming to rest upon his knees as he looked up at them all. "Do you know how  _tiring_  it is, getting those things? I could sleep for a week, right now..." He murmured, resting his head against the wall briefly. "But, to answer you fully; in a timeline where Iris was free of Rourke..." He said, tactfully negating to mention the fact his friends had already died by that point. "I spent some time with her. Her memories were restored, after finding they'd been saved on a flash drive Rourke had kept in his safe; along with his documentation of her creation... and back story. We spent a lot of time talking after that..." He said quietly, hanging his head as he closed his eyes, recalling the times he'd almost given up; the times he'd cried himself to sleep, clutching at dog tags and screaming the names of his lost friends.

"Everett Rourke was a man on a mission, since he shipwrecked on La Huerta, back in the eighties..." Taylor began to explain, his fingers toying nervously with the hem of his shirt. "Imogen was a good wife, who loved her husband, nurturing his dream of returning to the island and discovering its secrets. However, when a certain little bundle of joy came along..." He said, flashing a brief grin up at Aleister. "Her priorities changed. Where once she had seen the dedication of her husbands brilliant mind, she saw the cracks of insanity. Her concern for her son grew, as she beheld the lengths which Rourke was willing to stoop to in order to achieve his dream..." Taylor said thoughtfully, his eyes gazing blankly at the wall opposite him. "And finally there came a day when she knew; enough was enough. She had passage booked on a flight, which would take them to her family, back in England. She planned to retreat from the societal circles he would likely search for her, and become a teacher, at the local secondary school. Her application, had already been accepted." Taylor said, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair, and pushed up from where he'd slid down the wall. "Three days before she was to leave, Imogen Rourke was killed in a freak car accident while walking home, after taking her son to day-care." He concluded, watching Iris sadly as her eyes flashed, absorbing the information. "I'm sorry-"

"No, Taylor." Iris said sharply, though she quickly smiled warmly in apology. "There's no need for apologies, except for my own. I'm sorry, that I do not remember our time together."

"I'm not." Taylor said quickly, shaking his head as he swallowed heavily. "I'm happy, that you don't, Iris... It's better this way." He assured, forcing a small smile to his lips.

"Well, why didn't  _you_  tell us this before?" Aleister asked, looking towards Iris with a confused and broken expression, his conflict and pain evident in his eyes.

"I didn't have access to memories of my former life until very recently, and I cannot access what Taylor refers to until someone installs the files on this,  _flash drive_..." She explained, her expression grave as she looked over to Aleister. "Had I known before I'd have-" Iris's hologram stuttered erratically, and she appeared to struggle to maintain her composure.

"Iris?" Taylor asked worriedly, biting his lip as he reached pointlessly towards her. "You okay?"

"I don't have much time..." Iris gasped, trying to maintain her connection. "I need to tell you how to access the Lernaean Gate." She insisted, her gaze falling upon Taylor. "Do you recall the device you used, on the rooftop of The Celestial?" She asked urgently, her pixelated image flickering wildly.

"The portal gun?" He asked with a frown, as Iris nodded, visibly relieved that he remembered. He glanced down, as Furball hopped down from his shoulders and scampered away, before quickly returning his attention to the hologram.

"That gun was an experimental prototype, of a far more powerful machine." Iris explained quickly, her hologram flickering in the wavering connection. "The Lernaean Gate, is an advanced prismatic hyperpermeator, housed at a facility to the north."

"Advanced prisma...  _what?!"_  Taylor yelped, his eyes wide as he stared at the A.I. blankly, confused by the scientific terms.

"Prismatic hyperpermeator." Zahra said distractedly, waving her hand to silence him with a faint scowl. "Pay attention." She said snidely, ignoring Taylor as he stuck his tongue out at her in response.

"It can safely transport  _all_  of you home. Or, to another location, should you wish..." Iris explained, looking around them quickly as she fought to maintain her connection. "You'll need to bring the  _large prism_ , which was activated at the Hostiles' Stronghold last night." She advised, and Taylor felt his heart lurch in sudden fear; the very idea of the Heart falling into Rourke's hands causing his throat to constrict.

" _The Islands' Heart_?" Aleister asked in confusion, frowning at the hologram suspiciously. "How did you know we..."

"I detected energy levels consistent with the presence of a major crystalline lattice in your area." Iris replied, her hands twisting guiltily before her chest.

"Sounds about right..." Taylor mumbled darkly, glancing up at Iris in concern. "Iris, did you tell-"

"I did not inform Everett of this detection... I was not supposed to be monitoring the Stronghold..." Iris confessed, lowering her gaze briefly. "The Lernaean Gate requires a power source of incredible magnitude. The 'Islands Heart,' as you call it, should be sufficient." She said, looking up to meet his gaze determinedly. "Bring the prism to the  **MASADA**  facility, approximately one quarter mile, off the tip of the northern peninsula... I can promise you that  _there,_  once and for all, you'll finally be able to leave La Huerta behind." She said sadly, as Taylor swallowed heavily, and tried to ignore the way his heart screamed.

"What about you?" Taylor asked, focusing the pain in his heart into concern for the A.I. "You'll come through the portal too, right?"

"Yes!" Aleister exclaimed, his eyes widening at Taylors suggestion. "You  _must_  come! That... would only be prudent." He said, his face falling as he tried to regain control over his emotions.

"Oh, I.." Iris gasped, her blue eyes wide as she stared at them in shock. "Well, I'd certainly like to..." She said warmly, though her eyes were when she met Taylors gaze; resigned to her fate.

"You've  _gotta_  be kidding..." Zahra scoffed, shaking her head in blatant disbelief. "You want  _her_  to come with us? After what she  _did?"_  She demanded, as she scowled at him.

"Everett activated a part of my programming, which prevents me from acting against him..." Iris explained regretfully, scowling at her former husbands control over her. "However," she added, a smug grin blossoming across her face as she peeked up at them. "I choose to see your departure from La Huerta as beneficial to all involved parties." She said, chuckling at Taylors awed expression.

"Way to dodge the system, Iris!" He cheered, glancing at Zahra with a small grin. "Hey, she's literally unable to do anything he doesn't approve of personally; yet she's managed to do exactly that. You, of  _all_  people should see the awesomeness of that..." He said, sniggering when she rolled her eyes and averted her gaze, though he could still see her eyes narrow in thought. "But, wait..." He said, suddenly realising the hologram's lack of response to his request. "Does this mean you can't come with us..?"

Iris looked at Taylor fondly, before sadly shaking her head. "I cannot." She admitted regretfully, her hands clutching each other before her chest in a parody of comfort.

"And that's..." Aleister choked, swallowing heavily as he tried to force the words free. "That's  _it?_  You're... all that's left of my mother, and... I'm never seeing you again?"

"I can't tell you how sorry I am, that I couldn't be a part of your life, my... Aleister." She said mournfully, her eyes darting to Taylor briefly, before she lowered her voice and continued. "Now, even more so than before..." She admitted brokenly, before making a tangible effort to recompose herself. "Though I didn't have the opportunity to be a mother to you... I can certainly say I am  _proud,_  of the steadfast and forthright young man you've become." She said brightly, smiling lovingly as Aleister approached her.

Taylor turned, as Zahra leaned towards him, allowing them an illusion of privacy. "More like bred fast and uptight, am I right?" She snickered, grinning broadly at him.

 _"Zahra!"_  Taylor scolded in a whisper, glancing over at Aleister as his lips twitched with amusement, despite his best efforts to stop them.

"What?" She asked with a snort, folding her arms over her chest rebelliously, as she raised a heavily pierced brow. "Too soon?"

"It seems..." Iris said reluctantly, her brows furrowing as her eyes flashed, scanning something none of them could see. "I must terminate this connection shortly... Please, hurry to the facility. It won't be safe to travel that way much long-" Iris struggled to continue speaking, but her voice became distorted, her words undistinguishable. She frowned, and seemed to summon a surge of power, looking directly towards Aleister as she smiled warmly.  _"Goodbye,_  Aleister. I love you very much." She said, the words clear and crisp, before she faded away, the console going dark.

 _"No!"_  Aleister cried, reaching towards the empty air where her hologram had been. "Mother,  _wait!"_

"Aleister... I'm so sorry..." Taylor said quietly, hesitantly approaching, but not daring to touch the pale boy. He bit his lip, uncertainty clawing at his gut, as he wondered whether Aleister would hate him for the knowledge he'd shared.

"She died when I was only two..." The pale boy murmured brokenly, running a hand through his immaculate hair and mussing it, though he didn't seem to notice. "I never thought I'd remember what her face looked like." He muttered, lowering himself to the floor and resting his face in his hands. "My  _megalomaniac_  of a father brought her back as an  _automaton,_  a mere  _servant!"_  He growled, peering over the tops of his fingers with a ferocious glare. "The next time I see him, he'll have  _hell_  to pay..." He promised darkly.

"Aleister..." Taylor sighed, crouching before the pale boy and forcing him to meet his gaze, despite his nerves. "If you expect to help Iris at all, you're gonna have to come up with a better plan than just ' _gonna make 'im pay_!'" He said, propping his elbow on his knee, and his chin in his palm. "Or, are you just going to let the bastard beat us all, and keep her prisoner indefinitely..?"

"Of  _course_  not-!" Aleister snarled, his expression twisting in grief, rage and shock.

"Well then, what are you doing sitting on the floor?" Taylor asked, tilting his head in faux confusion, his lips twitching with amusement as Aleister stared at him in surprise. He hopped to his feet, offering his hand to the pale boy, and after a long pause for consideration; Aleister accepted his gesture.

"Taylor, I..." He began hesitantly, as he allowed himself to be pulled to his feet, his expression twisting with hesitancy.

"Aleister," Taylor sighed, releasing the pale boys hand and frowning thoughtfully, as he looked at his feet. "I'm barely able to grasp half of what's really in my head... There's a lot up there, and it's  _beyond_  annoying that I cant access it. But, for what its worth, I'm  _truly_  sorry I didn't know anything about your mother sooner..." He said slowly, peeking up at Aleister regretfully, before looking away again.

"Is there... anything else you can tell me?" The pale boy asked hesitantly, his brows raised hopefully. "About... her plans or her acci-"

"For a smart guy, you sure are  _dumb."_  Zahra snorted, folding her arms over her chest as she leaned against the console and narrowed her eyes at him.

"And  _what,_  pray tell, is  _that_  supposed to mean?" Aleister demanded, turning towards her with a scowl, ignoring Taylors placating hand on his arm.

"You just heard Taylor say he can't." She said bluntly, picking at imaginary dirt beneath her fingernails. "You heard Iris explain about the time loops, and Taylor explain about his headaches. You really wanna make him destroy himself, by playing with paradoxical time issues in his head?" She asked, rolling her eyes at him when his face flushed pink in understanding.

"Of course," Aleister mumbled, heaving a mournful sigh. "My apologies, Taylor." He muttered, turning away as he tried to regain his usual composure.

"Aleister-" Taylor began, only to fall silent, when the sound of distant growling reached his ears. "Uh-oh... Where's Furball?" He asked suddenly, turning to search for the small fox as he realised he'd list track of the small animal.

"The sounds coming from inside that hole..." Zahra said, tipping her chin towards a partially collapsed wall, where there was a narrow, cave like space. Taylor hurried over, ignoring the glowing flowers which made him feel queasy and peering inside to see Furball at the far end, crouched and ready to pounce on a small crystalline fragment.

 _"Rrrrrr..."_  The little blue fox growled, snapping his teeth at the crystal, as he weaved back and forth before it. Taylor found his eyes drawn to the crystal, as green fire flickered into being along its surface. " _Mrrr! Mruff_!" Furball snapped, his crimson eyes narrowed and his ears flat against his scalp.

"That shard, looks like its got an evil spirit trapped in it." Zahra said, and Taylor glanced back, as she hid behind him and peered into the hole over Taylors shoulder.

He rolled his eyes at her, shaking his head as he peered back inside, biting his lip indecisively.  _It's just like the light that surrounded Quinn..._  He thought, grimacing as he made an educated guess that the shard was a part of the Heart. "Stand back, little guy..." He sighed, reluctantly reaching into the hole, and touching the burning shard with the tip of his index finger. A wave of energy coursed through him, and he shivered as the flames instantly receded. He grimaced, the faint thrum of a headache beginning behind his eyes, as he quickly picked the shard up.  _Guess I'll hold onto this 'til I figure out what's up with these crystals..._  He thought, as he quickly shifted his bag around and plunged his hand within, releasing the shard at the bottom; and sighing with relief when the flourishing headache faded.

"And how,  _exactly,_  did you known to do that?" Aleister asked curiously, eyeing the hole in the wall suspiciously. "Was it to do with your..." He queried, gesturing vaguely towards Taylors head.

"Let's just call it a wild guess for now." Taylor sniggered, wincing as he wobbled, upon stepping back from the hole. "And also agree to not mention it to Jake at all..." He said, shaking his head to clear the strange, and sudden sense of dizziness he felt. "We, uh, we should head back to the others..." He said distractedly, turning to reach for Furball, who scrambled up his arm to curl around his shoulders.

The three of them headed outside, Zahra and Aleister walking either side of Taylor by silent agreement; a safety measure should his dizziness overwhelm him. As they walked out of the shelter, Taylor noticed movement in a nearby thicket of trees, and he paused in his tracks.

"Ah, clearly something's over there..." Aleister said uncomfortably, his eyes darting nervously over the brush, searching for potential threats.

 _"Hmm,"_  Taylor hummed, forcing himself to get a grip, as he locked himself into the fighting stance he'd learned from Jake and Estela's training session. "Get ready..." He warned firmly, preparing himself for whatever rampaging beast might be approaching, when Varyyn crashed through the trees with a burst of laughter.

"Ha!" He snorted, darting through the brush with an excited gleam in his eyes. "Another miss!" He cried gleefully, as Diego came running through the trees close on his heels. Taylor relaxed with a quiet snort, losing his balance briefly and only escaping a heavy fall to the ground, by Zahra and Aleister's firm grip on his elbows. He ignored their pointed looks of concern, watching the new arrivals with amusement; as they were too engaged with whatever they were doing to notice the three of them.

"You think you're so  _fast."_  Diego called, grinning widely as he chased after Varyyn. "Eat this!" He laughed, throwing a seed pod at the young Vaanti king; which he deftly dodged.

The Elyyshar sniggered, grinning wryly as he pretended to look around for cover, intentionally leaving himself open. Diego picked up another pod, and with a cocky wink, pegged Varyyn right in the chest.  _"Oh!"_  Varyyn gasped in faux  _outrage,_  his eyes wide as he stared at the chortling Diego. "How dare you?! I am the  _Elyyshar!"_  He cried, before dramatically falling to the forest floor.

"It's official." Diego said smugly, raising both hands in the air victoriously. "I, Diego Ricardo Ortiz Soto, have caught them all." He announced loudly, before dissolving into giggles.

Taylor rolled his eyes and pressed his hand to his face, for utterly unsurprised by the antics of his best friend.  _Only Diego would think to use Pokemon as a method to flirt..._ He thought fondly, watching as Diego collapsed next to Varyyn, winded from their game. He noticed Zahra getting ready to clear her throat and he quickly put his hand on her arm, winking as he tipped his chin towards them. "We should let them have their moment..." He whispered quietly, and she shrugged, before heading back towards the beach via a different route.

Aleister hesitated a moment, but Taylor waved him away, making a point to lean up against the nearest tree so he didn't wobble. The pale boy rolled his eyes, as Furball hopped down from Taylors shoulders, and tugged at his trouser leg, drawing him after Zahra and leaving Taylor alone. _Oh god, please don't let this turn into some weird fanfiction style porno_.. _. I am not prepared to witness that._  Taylor silently pleaded, telling himself firmly he was neither a voyeur or pervert in any sense for waiting for his friends. He peeked at them from the corner of his eyes, attempting to avoid directly looking st the shimmering, bioluminescent flowers that the pair laid amidst, so he wouldn't add a headache to his dizziness.

"You know, I really owe you a whole handful of those seeds right in the face..." Diego said quietly, smiling softly as he looked up at the forest canopy. "How many times did I get into trouble for telling everyone you were studying, when really, you'd snuck out to surf Colonnade Cove?"

 _"Many_  times." Varyyn sniggered, grinning as he nudged Diego with his elbow. "You are a very good tutor."

 _"Tch."_  Diego scoffed, shaking his head in amused disbelief. "And now  _you're_  the Elyyshar, and  _I'm_  one of the Twelve... Who would've thought?"

"I never expected to take my mothers place..." Varyyn said, his expression faltering at the memory of his mothers sacrifice. "It happened so fast, I..." The Vaanti king broke off suddenly, seeming on the edge of tears. "... Never got to say goodbye..."

Diego's eyes widened in surprised realisation, and he placed a hand on Varyyn's shoulder in an effort to comfort him. "Ximaedra was very brave, to do what she did..." He said quietly, hesitating only briefly before pushing on. "She did it go all of us, but mostly; because she loved  _you,_  and knew in her heart... That you would make a great Elyyshar."

"Yes..." Varyyn agreed sullenly, though his heart was clearly conflicted about how he should feel.

"And, as it turns out, you're basically Aragorn!" Diego said lightly, drawing the Vaanti kings thoughts away from his mother. "The king no one expected, but everyone hoped for."

"...You really think I'm Airborne?" Varyyn asked in shock, and Taylor rolled his eyes as he snorted, finding the pair to be equally matched in both idiocy and adorableness.

"Ara..." Diego began, before quickly huffing a dry chuckle, and changing his mind. "Never mind.  _Yes,_  I do." Varyyn sat abruptly, tugging Diego up beside him and grabbing him in a tight hug. "Heh, uh, easy... there..." Diego huffed awkwardly, his face flushing crimson as Taylor bit his lip to keep from laughing.

"Thank you, Diego." Varyyn said sincerely, his relief and gratitude palpable, even to Taylor.

"Of course!" Diego chuckled, as they separated slightly. Their eyes met, and Taylor could all but see the sparks fizzling between them. Taylor half closed his eyes and presses his hands over his ears, unwilling to be witness to anything so intimate as a first kiss. However, they suddenly pulled apart, and Diego swallowed hard, as Varyyn's gaze drifted around the area. "Uh, so..." Diego stammered, clearing his throat nervously as he floundered for a safe topic. "How many tribal festivals have you guys  _had,_  anyway?"

"Aside from today," Varyyn replied quickly, seeming grateful for the change in discussion. "I've only attended one other Valinorum. I was no older than Taari then... My mother was occupied with hosting, and I wasn't receiving much attention..." The young kind admitted, biting his lip sheepishly as he glanced over at Diego. "So, I took Uqzhaal's symbol of office; a very special clay whistle, to the top of a coconut tree... And dropped it on the  _quuk'tanoi_  champion's head! It broke into countless pieces!"

"Haha!" Diego laughed warmly and Taylor felt himself smile, at the genuine affection in his friends gaze, when he looked over at the Elyyshar. "Sounds like you were a little brat." He sniggered, grinning broadly as Varyyn shook his head, a tiny smile curling his lips.

"I was." He admitted, snorting as he recalled the memory. "Poor Uqzhaal..." He said, as the pair of them leaned back on their hands, falling into a comfortable silence, as they looked off into the rainforest. Taylor bit his lip to contain his grin, averting his gaze as Diego slowly moved his arm nearer to Varyyn's, and the Vaanti king reached out to take his hand. "Diego... I am grateful to have met you."

"Heh," Diego chuckled quietly, beaming a wide grin at the Vaanti king. "Pleasure's all mine." He said brightly, reminding Taylor of Jake's usual cocky attitude.

"You have pleasure?" Varyyn choked, his eyes growing wide as he misconstrued Diego's meaning.

"I mean," Diego balked, his cheeks staining red as he became flustered. "Pleasure, not like... that's not... Er-" He broke off, and Taylor squeezed his eyes and lips shut, determined not to laugh at his friends blatant embarrassment. "I'm gonna try to pretend the last three seconds didn't happen..." He mumbled, staring down at his lap.

"Do or do not." Varyyn said brightly, a broad grin on his face as he watched Diego. "There is no try."

"That..." Diego snorted, raising his eyes to meet Varyyn's proud gaze. "Was  _actually_  a pretty solid reference." He admitted with a small chuckle, intertwining his fingers with Varyyn's.

Varyyn frowned suddenly, squinting into the trees, and Taylor grinned; knowing the Vaanti king had picked up on his presence. He watched as a smile spread across Varyyn's face, shaking his head as he looked over at Diego. "Taylor is a very good friend to you." He said, his long war flicking towards Taylor when he snorted in amusement.

"The best I've ever had..." Diego agreed fondly, before his expression clouded suddenly. "Is it true..? What Jake said, you know... about..?"

Varyyn sighed, his face falling in regret. "I have no memory of the event myself, but Taylor showed me the memory; when we were attempting to capture you..." He confessed quietly, his eyes clouded by grief. "The  _Cloch Ama;_  time stones, in your tongue... Vaanti royalty are expected to forge their own stone upon reaching adulthood. The stone grants only a single use; a chance to undo a great tragedy, to rewind time to the point you focus upon, provided it is within a five minute time frame..." He explained, swallowing heavily as he paused and searched for words. "Mine was used by Jake, that night. I cannot be certain of the details, but it is my belief that Taylor anticipated the uh, assault, and tried to dissuade violence between Jake and myself... I, did not mean..." His words broke off, and Taylor turned, about to interrupt, when Varyyn's thoughts strayed to his own.  _Please, allow me to explain for myself_...

 _Just... don't blame yourself, Varyyn. It wasn't permanent_. He thought back, averting his attention elsewhere as Varyyn drew a deep breath to steady himself.

"What Jake described is therefore both true and not," the Vaanti king admitted, his voice wavering with guilt. "Taylor,  _was_  dying... Just as in another timeline, he saw Jake die... But when Jake took the stone, and thought of Taylor; he was returned to that time. Taylor... should not have remembered also, but... I'm beginning to understand that normal rules do not apply to your friend." Varyyn huffed quietly, purposely forcing himself to meet Diego's gaze. "I  _am_  sorry, for the loss you almost suffered, Diego... I hop-"

"You know, one of the great things about Taylor?" Diego asked suddenly, his eyes lowering to their still laced fingers. "He's actually a really good judge of character... When he's not, you know, blinded by grief or rage..." He snorted, as Taylor scowled at him for the jibe. "He seems to have forgiven you, so... Kinda seems like its just you and Jake gotta do the forgiving now." He said lightly, glancing over at Varyyn meaningfully, before his face creased into a frown. "Why did you bring Taylor up anyway, because he is most definitely _not_  what I was thinking abou-" He looked away from Varyyn, and finally caught sight of his friend, leaning against a tree, staring intently and unconvincingly at a nearby bush.  _"Oh._  Hey, Taylor..."

 _"Ahem..."_  Taylor sniggered briefly, clearing his throat as he turned towards them with feigned surprise. "Hey, guys." He said, waving at them with a broad grin. "I bring good news..." He said, ignoring their conversation entirely. He pushed himself off the tree, holding onto the lowest branch when his strange vertigo kicked in, and he nearly plummeted face first to the ground.  _"Whoaaa!"_

"Taylor!" Diego yelped, rushing to his feet and hurrying over. "Dude, why is it that whenever you're left unsupervised, you end up in such a state?" His friend fussed, trying to steady him, as Taylor swatted his hands away playfully.

"I will have you know I was  _absolutely_  supervised," he snorted, ignoring Diego's raised brow as he smirked over ar Varyyn. "I was with Aleister and Zahra, so ask them. They will tell you I did... absolutely nothing."

"You hesitated." Diego accused, narrowing his eyes and jabbing a finger into Taylors chest.

"Did  _not."_  Taylor rebuffed, turning to pout at his friend, though the expression ended up closer to a pitiful scowl.

"Perhaps it would be best to get you back to the others, Taylor?" Varyyn suggested tactfully, as he approached them with a grin. He gently nudged Diego aside, and without waiting to ask, scooped Taylor into his arms.

"Hey,  _manhandling!"_  Taylor yelped, his arms looping over Varyyn's neck as the Vaanti king headed back towards the beach.

"Shut up, Taylor." Diego snorted fondly, trotting beside the Elyyshar and throwing worried glanced at his friend.

"Sure, get me in trouble with Jake why don't you." He pouted, ignoring Diego and Varyyn's sniggering's at his discomfort. "Well, we gotta get everyone together anyway, I guess." He sighed in resignation, closing his eyes to fight the dizziness which made his vision swim.

Varyyn walked slowly, trying his hardest not to jostle him, as he talked quietly with Diego. Taylor opened his eyes when he was settled into a chair, finding himself by the table where his friends had been gathered before he'd chased after Furball. He looked up when a glass of water was pressed into his hands, his eyes meeting Quinn's, as she nervously bit her lip.

"Taylor..?" She asked hesitantly, perching on the edge of his chair as she swept some damp hair from his clammy brow. "What'd you do  _this_  time?" She sighed, her crystalline eyes searching his darker ones intently.

"Why does everyone assume I did something?" He asked with a pout, ignoring the redheads sudden burst of shocked laughter.

"Because we know you?" She giggled, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek, before pushing to her feet and moving to the table to grab him some food.

"Hn," he grunted, pointedly not acknowledging the redheads knowing look. "Uh, where's Jake..?" He asked nervously, looking around for the pilot.

"He said something about 'drinking like a king' and went off with Craig and Michelle, about five minutes before you guys got back." She replied, as she sat the small plate of delicacies beside him, and moved away to sit opposite him, her eyes twitching between him and the plate pointedly.

"Urgh,  _fine..."_  He groaned, taking what appeared to be a small fruit of some sort, and popping it in his mouth. The juices within made him groan, the sweet flavours tingling across his tongue pleasantly. "Well," he sighed, taking another small sip of water. "At least I have time to recover before he finds out then." He said, as Quinn sniggered at him.

"Recover from  _what_  exactly, Boy Scout?" Demanded a gruff voice from behind him, and Taylor scowled at Quinn, as she waved innocently at him.

"Oh, you are a wicked,  _wicked_  woman..." He mumbled scathingly, as Quinn laughed and winked at him. He turned his gaze upward, his head spinning faintly at the change in direction, as he attempted to smile cockily. "Hey, Top Gun... Did you find the drinks you-"

"Taylor." Jake sighed, frowning down at him with a resigned expectation in his cerulean eyes.

"I didn't  _do_  anything!" He protested, waving his arms to emphasize his point. "Ask Aleister and Zahra!"

"He had a headache," Aleister called, as he strolled up the beach beside Grace, his arm around her waist. "But it wasn't until he poked the crystal that the vertigo overtook him."

"Do  _not_  ask Aleister and Zahra!" Taylor yelped, quickly backtracking when he realized their input would hardly help his case. "Look, I'm fine! No headaches, no nosebleeds, no-"

"Taylor, shut up." Diego sniggered, jabbing him carefully in the shoulder, as he leaned against his friends side. "The only person buying it, is you."

"Urgh, you all suck..." Taylor grumbled, glowering as he drank some more of his water, though his heart swelled with affection for his friends.

"Dude, I thought that was your departm-"

 _"Diego!"_  Taylor choked, pressing his hand to his head as his friends laughed. "What is this, pick on Taylor afternoon? Come on, I'm  _fine!_  We have better things to be talking about than me..!" He grumbled mutinously.

"Taylor, why is it that since we came here, the entire my range of medical training has been employed by you alone?" Michelle asked with an irritated sigh, setting her hands on her hips as she came to a stop before him, frowning in consternation.

"Um, I'm just... really eager to help you learn your trade?" He offered weakly, and she rolled her eyes at his ridiculous effort. She sighed as she knelt before him, checking his eyes and responses, as he sulked but dutifully obeyed her orders. "Well, the vertigo we can cure fairly simply, there's a technique we can use if we find a bed and a pillow..." The blonde commented, sighing as she pushed to her feet and rested a hand on his shoulder briefly. "Other than that, he seems fine-"

"Haha, I told you s-" Taylor began to cheers, only fo Michelle to continue talking over him.

"But of course, he's Taylor... So, there's no telling how long that will actually last." She added snidely, smirking as his triumphant grin fell into a disgruntled pout.

"You guys are so  _mean_  to me..." He said, heaving a long suffering sigh. He narrowed his eyes when Quinn began laughing, already anticipating her comment. "Don't even think-"

"Does that include Jake?" She sniggered anyway, as Taylor groaned in resignation and drank some more of his drink, his lips twitching with amusement despite his sulking. "Maybe he should stop fu-"

 _"Quinn!"_  Taylor whined, glancing at Jake's thoughtful expression with a scowl. "Stop giving him ideas! And  _you..!"_  He added, snagging Jake's hand in his own and pressing a lingering kiss to his palm. " _Stop having ideas_!" He demanded, worrying his lip nervously, as his friends laughed around him.

"What if it was a  _good_  idea?" Jake drawled, his lips curving in amusement as Taylor considered briefly.

"Then you  _are_  allowed to have ideas..." He conceded stiffly, pointedly ignoring Diego's loud snort. "But  _don't_  listen to Quinn! She's a bad influence, and sneaky too!" He insisted, as Jake chuckled and squeezed his hand.

"Yo, Taylors like, totally wiggin' out, for real." Craig sniggered, fist bumping with Zahra as they walked over with Sean.

"Barf inducing." Zahra commented blandly, strolling past him to grab some food. "Guess he must be hungry..." She said leadingly, smirking when Craig high fived her.

"Chyeah bro," the jock snorted, guffawing with heavy, shoulder shaking laughter. "For Jake's-"

"Oh my  _god,_  not you too!" Taylor groaned, his face flaming red as he glared around accusingly at the laughing faces around him. "It's official, you're all horrid and I'm never speaking to you again."

"That so?" Jake asked, raising a brow as he smirked down at him and squeezed his hand.

"Hush, I'm being mad at you all." Taylor stage whispered, as his friends laughed. He sniggered as Jake shook his head and rolled his eyes at him, before turning towards the others with a small frown. "Can we please get off the Taylor train now?" He asked with a pout, pointedly raising a brow at Aleister.

"Taylors correct, we should discuss our... findings." The pale boy conceded reluctantly, his expression falling slightly as he recalled the state of Iris's predicament. Taylor looked down at Jake's hand in his lap, while Aleister filled in their friends and several Vaanti who had gathered around them on the beach. His heart was light from his friends banter, but with every reminder that they were fast approaching separation, he felt a piece of himself wither. "So, in summarization; this 'Lernaean Gate' can get us all home, but; we shall need the Island's Heart to power it." Aleister concluded, as Taylor traced a scar on Jake's finger lightly.

"Home?  _Already?"_  Raj asked lowly, looking around the Vaanti village longingly. "B-but, I was kinda enjoying myself..." The large boy confessed, his face falling.

"Yeah, we worked hard to get this vacation!" Craig growled, glaring at them all equally. "I think we should see it through!"

"Uh,  _pretty_  sure it was given to us for free..." Diego hedged, raising his palms in placation when Craig rounded on him with his glare.

"Real question is," Jake said, his brow creased into a frown. "Can we actually trust Robomaid, now that Rourke's reprogrammed her?"

"Yes." Taylor said instantly, the only contribution he'd made to the conversation so far. Jake glanced down at him, but he studiously avoided meeting his eyes, instead flipping his hand and focusing on the intricate patterns of his palm.

"My moneys on no." Zahra sighed, scowling at Taylor as he shrugged indifferently.

"See, there ya go." Craig quickly cut in, folding his arms over his chest as if the matter was settled. "Besides, what's so bad about this place anyway? I  _like_  it here!" He said, glancing at Taylor repeatedly, until he finally raised his reluctant gaze to meet the jocks. He seemed bolstered in his conviction by whatever he saw, understanding Taylors feelings about leaving hadn't changed since the time they'd discussed it at the marina.

"Craig, how many times have you almost  _died_  in the last week?" Michelle demanded, scowling at the jock furiously.

"Not  _that_  many..." Craig said defensively, before his shoulders slumped and he met her gaze sheepishly. "Uh, I think I lost count." He admitted, as Taylor snorted in amusement.

"I trust her." Aleister said firmly, his arms folded over his chest defiantly.

"As do I." Taylor said quietly, offering a small smile to the pale boy.

Jake squeezed his hand, and he reluctantly raised his guarded gaze to meet the pilots eyes. "... You do?" He asked, frowning at Taylors obvious discomfort. Taylor nodded slowly, blinking when the world swam around him, though he determinedly kept his eyes on his pilot.

Jake considered a moment, before sighing heavily, and running a hand through his hair. "Good enough for me." He said reluctantly, as Taylor pressed his lips to the back of the pilots hand.

"My father might have made her into what she is now," Aleister said defensively, frowning thoughtfully, as Grace rested her hand on his arm supportively. "But even he couldn't take away her humanity... She wasn't lying to us. She clearly wanted to help." He insisted, as everyone paused to reflect on his words.

"You can't know for a fact that she was telling the truth." Zahra said finally, rolling her shoulders uncomfortably when the group turned their collective attention to her. " _I'm just saying_..! An A.I. with unlimited database access, is  _not_  someone you wanna trust."

"That's a good point..." Grace conceded carefully, rubbing Aleister's arm reassuringly. "But, if there's even a slim chance we can get home... I think we should try." She said warmly, smiling encouragingly around the group.

"Grace's right." Quinn agreed, taking the dark skinned girls hand in her own. "Who knows when we'll have another opportunity like this?" She asked thoughtfully, peeking through her lashes as she blushed. "I'd...  _really_  like to see my parents and, let them know they don't need to be scared anymore..." She added quietly, as a tense hush descended over them.

"So," Varyyn said suddenly, breaking the silence as he looked around them all sadly. "You are... leaving then?" He asked, his eyes falling to Diego.

"I... guess so..." Diego said slowly, biting his lip as his face fell, a perfect replica of Varyyn's downcast expression.

"I'll... be sorry to see you go." The Elyyshar admitted thickly, before glancing around the group quickly. "All of you!" He added, as Taylor chuckled dryly to himself. "But, I suppose I must accept that your destiny is larger than Vaanu."

"Maybe, we could visit-"

"No, Diego." Taylor said quietly, his heart aching as he looked up to meet Diego's crestfallen gaze. "This is a one way trip. And the fact is... Much as I wish you could; you can't stay here. 'Cause Rourke will never stop coming for you." He explained glumly, pointedly averting his gaze.

 _You hide something_... Taylor flinched, his eyes darting to Varyyn, as the accusing thought echoed through his mind. He shook his head discreetly at Varyyn's calculating frown, turning away and closing his eyes as he reclined in his chair.

 _I do what I have to in order to keep him safe. To keep them all safe._  He thought, peeking one eye at the Vaanti briefly _. And you're going to help me._  He added firmly, watching as Varyyn cocked his head slightly, but was distracted before he could reply.

"So, you're... Okay, with us taking the Heart?" Diego asked, ignorant of the mental conversation he'd interrupted, as he surveyed Varyyn with sad eyes.

"Hmm? Oh, of course." Varyyn replied, recovering quickly as he smiled brightly at Diego. "I will accompany you, to ensure that it returns to Elyys'tel." He said confidently, and Taylor opened his eyes, raising his brows in surprise. "The northern reaches are dangerous. It is different there..."

"So, this is the un-dangerous part of the island?" Zahra scoffed, eoling her eyes as she folded her arms over her chest.  _"Great."_  She drawled, heavy sarcasm colouring her tone.

"I will arrange for several of our best warriors to come along as well." Varyyn said reassuringly, patting the scowling girl on the shoulder, much to her surprise.

"Alright." Sean said finally, clapping his hands together as he beamed a wide grin around the group. "So, we're doing this." He said, a hint of excitement in his tone, as the chance to return home finally presented itself.

"Lila hasn't said anything..." Estela commented, and Taylor snorted, looking over at her with a crooked grin.

"Neither have  _you,_  'til now." He said, frowning when the dark haired girl turned towards him with raised brows.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She snarked, her eyes narrowing in calculation. "Would you like for me to comment on your inability to keep your dick in your pants around your pilot?"

Taylor scowled as the group sniggered, huffing an offended sneer as he turned his nose away from her. "I would  _not."_  He sniffed, glancing over at her balefully, as she grinned smugly at him. "Also, that was  _entirely_  uncalled for." He added disdainfully, as Jake sniggered beside him. He glared up at the pilot suspiciously, noticing the heavy amusement in his gaze. "You've been teaching Estela sass, haven't you?" He accused, as Jake shrugged unashamedly, grinning at him crookedly.

"Don't look at me like that, Boy Scout, you deserve everything you get right now." The pilot snorted, though his thumb stroked the back of his hand affectionately. Taylor pouted, turning back to Estela, as the scarred girl jerked a thumb over her shoulder.

"So, back to the tour guide?" She asked innocently, gesturing towards where Lila sat in the sand a short distance away, looking uncharacteristically saddened.

Taylor frowned, moving to get to his feet and go see her, only to be restrained by eight different hands settling on his shoulders. He sighed heavily, fighting the amused twitch of his lips as he rolled his eyes, though he immediately regretted the action. "Hey, Lila!" He called instead, sitting back in his chair and shoo-ing his friends back to give him some space, ignoring Aleister and Grace as they snickered at him. "You okay, Lila?" He tried again, when there was no reply.

"Huh? Oh!" The tour guide gasped, jerking from her reverie suddenly and looking over in guilty surprise. "I'm fine! Everything's great! We're going home!  _Yay!"_  She cheered, hopping to her feet and dusting off the sand on her clothes.

Taylor eyed her critically, sensing her blatant discomfort easily. Is she like me, afraid to leave? Or wondering how she can let Rourke know what we're planning..? He wondered, quickly arranging his face into something more sympathetic. ""Worried about your job, Lila?" He asked stiffly, though he softened slightly when she looked at him in surprise.

"Wha-  _No!"_  She cried, her eyes wide with shock, although Taylor couldn't tell if it was from genuine surprise at his question; or fear of having been caught out. "Why would I be worried about..."

"Come on, Lila..." Taylor sighed, groaning in regret when he shook his head at her. "We all know you do more around here than just lead tours." He snorted, and was surprised when Lila didn't even try to deny it.

Instead the tour guides face fell, biting her nail as she frowned down at the sand in shame. "Well... It doesn't seem like I've been doing  _any_  job particularly well." Lila muttered glumly, shaking her head forlornly as she wrapped her arms around herself. "Everything on La Huerta's falling to ruin."

"Perhaps," Estela conceded, tipping her head thoughtfully, as she offered the usually cheerful girl a small smile. "But, you've still been a very good guide to us."

 _"Really?!"_  Lila choked, her gaze rising to Estela's with hope and a brief flash of guilt, though Taylor was sure nobody else had seen it.

"Yes." Estela confirmed, hesitating briefly as she considered something. "And you fight well." She added, as if this settled all matters.

"I guess..." The tour guide said slowly, her smile gradually returning as she stared at Estela warmly. "I do, actually." She said, seeming to make an effort to shrug off her melancholy. "Thanks, you two. I feel a lot better now!"

"You're welcome." Estela said, beaming a wide grin at the tour guide, and startling everyone when she released a small giggle. "What..?! Shut up." She demanded upon noticing their stares, her cheeks staining red as she turned away with a scowl.

"I think the islands finally gettin' to me..." Jake teased lightly, ignoring Estela's glare entirely. "I just thought I saw Wednesday Addams over there give someone a pep talk."

"Shh, don't draw attention to it..." Taylor whispered loudly, winking up at Jake when the pilot glanced down at him. "You'll frighten her..." He said, sniggering when Estela snorted and rolled her eyes, shrugging nonchalantly as she gave up on trying to remain irritated with them.

At that moment, Uqzhaal hobbled over, a group of vaanti scouts trailing behind him. "Like the ever roaming constellations themselves, the Catalysts journey toward a new horizon!" He said, spreading his arms to gesture around them all. "Good fortune, on the path ahead, my friends... You will always be remembered by our people." He said, bowing his head to them in solemn respect.

"I wanna go too!" Taari cried, his eyes wide as he ran over to join them, revealing that he'd been eavesdropping from the branches of a nearby tree.

"The Catalysts' path is leading them away from our people, Taari." Seraxa explained, surprisingly gently, resting her hand on his head in a rare gesture of comfort.

"But I'm a Cat-a-liss too!" He protested angrily, shrugging away from her hand as he turned to glare at the green skinned war chief.

 _"You_  are a little boy who's about one word away from not eating supper!" Seraxa growled, her affection forgotten as she scowled down at the small child,who stuck his tongue out at her petulantly, but wisely said no more.

"Hey, Taari... C'mere." Taylor called, beckoning the child closer with his hand. He ruffled the boys hair lightly when he sullenly approached, beaming a wide grin down at him. "You're the  _only_  Vaanti, who can call themselves an honorary Catalyst... But that means you gotta keep Elyys'tel safe while we're away, okay?" He said, raising a brow in thoughtful assessment. "Unless... You think that's too big a job for someone so littl-"

"I can do it!" Taari growled fiercely, puffing his small chest out proudly. Taylor looked up at Jake, as the pilot squeezed his hand, grinning down at him knowingly.

"We owe so much to you, Catalysts..." Seraxa said, inclining her head minutely towards them. "May your stars guide you." She said respectfully.

"Cat-a-lissus forever!" Taari cheered, beaming a wide grin st them all as they all laughed quietly at his innocent joy.

"We should make whatever preparations we need, and then get some rest." Sean advised, reluctantly drawing their gathering to an end. "We'll head out first thing in the morning." He said, high fiving with Craig, Raj and Zahra.

"Aye aye, Cap." Jake agreed, winking at the athlete and tossing him a rough salute.

"Okay, let's go get packed up then..." Taylor agreed with a sigh, moving to push to his feet, only for a a wave of dizziness to force him to a halt. "Aw, c'mon!" He groaned, frowning miserably.

"Would you like me to carry you again, Taylor?" Varyyn offered, stepping forward with his arms half raised.

 _"No,_  he would  _not."_  Jake growled, and if Taylors world hadn't been spinning, he would have laughed at the obvious offense and jealousy in the pilots tone. "Thanks for the assist though, Papa Smurf." He groused reluctantly, as he slid his arms beneath Taylor and scooped him up from the chair himself.

"This is so degrading... I'm perfectly capable of walking!" Taylor complained, settling his bag in his lap as he looped his arms around Jake's neck and buried his pink face in the pilots neck. "You just like carrying me..." He accused quietly, grazing his teeth over the pilots throat lightly and chuckling when the pilot paused briefly, shivering from the contact.

"Guilty." The pilot huffed unashamedly, as he set off towards the elevator, the group trailing behind them as they unsuccessfully tried to hide their sniggers. Taylor remained sullenly silent the rest of the journey, until he was set gently upon the small bed, in the hut Jake had appropriated for them.

"Okay, this is looking promising..." He admitted, brightening as Jake took his bag and set it against the wall opposite him. "I may consider forgiving you."

"Mighty generous of ya, Boy Scout." Jake snickered, leaning against the counter with a grin, as Michelle walked in.

"I take it back," Taylor said quickly, his face falling at the petite blondes serious expression. "I take it  _all_  back..."

"And you say _I'm_  the insatiable one..." Jake scoffed, a cocky grin plastered to his face as he watched Michelle crouch in front of Taylor and begin arranging the bed behind him.

"You are... usually... You just," Taylor snapped, scowling as he floundered for words. "You..." He snorted, turning away as the pilot laughed at his inability to find a suitable response.

"Okay, you;  _out."_  Michelle demanded, standing and shoving Jake lightly towards the door. He opened his mouth to protest, but the blonde pushed him right out the doorway, surprisingly firm in her insistence. "Go help the others pack supplies, and you can come back in an hour." She said firmly, before turning back to Taylor. "Now,  _you-"_

"I'm sorry! I'll do whatever you say!" Taylor quickly interjected, raising his hands in placation as he winced.

"Good." She purred happily, sauntering over to kneel before him. "Okay, listen up; we're gonna try the Epley Maneuver, and I'm not gonna lie, it's  _probably_  going to suck..." The blonde explained, pausing to check he was still following. Taylor swallowed thickly, and nodded glumly, and the blonde quickly turned him, extending his legs on the bed; before she raised her hands to his head gently. "Okay, now... Keep your head right, here..." She said firmly, positioning his neck to a rough forty five degree angle.

"Why do I already get the feeling I'm going to really,  _really_  dislike this?" Taylor asked in a slightly panicked rush, his heart racing as his nerves fluttered.

"You could always stop doing stupid things..." Michelle suggested lightly, smirking when he huffed and muttered under his breath. "Well then, you can't complain. Now, deep breath..." She said, walking around behind him and setting her hands on his shoulders, as he did as he was told.

 _"Whoa!"_  He yelped, as she quickly lowered him to a supine position on the bed, extending his neck to a thirty degree angle and holding him still.

" _Keep still_!" She ordered, as she leaned over him and checked his confused eyes carefully. "Just for a couple minutes, olay? Keep still..." She said on a gentler tone, holding his neck at the correct angle, as she counted in her head. When she reach two minutes, she turned his head ninety degrees so he faced the opposite way, and began the count once more.

"What made you get into Pre-Med?" Taylor asked quietly, distracting himself from the dizziness, as Michelle glanced down at him in surprise. "You look like nobody ever asked you that before..." He said, frowning as Michelle reached two minutes once again.

"Roll onto your side; but keep your head at this angle..." She murmured softly, helping him maneuver into position, so that he was staring at the floor awkwardly. She crouched low, her caramel eyes checking his dark blue ones carefully, while his head swam. "They  _haven't."_  She admitted quietly, in response to his comment. She counted two minutes away, Taylors mind racing in the stifling silence, trying to fathom the strangely subdued aura hovering around the blonde. She slowly raised him to a sitting position, carefully maintaining the angle of his head as she counted another half minute, before finally releasing him. "How'd you feel?" She asked gently, crouching before him to check his eyes.

"Like I just rode the swirliest rollercoaster ever and I need to hurl..." Taylor confessed, biting his lip sheepishly.

"That's okay... It can take a few tries." She said, repositioning him to start over. "Okay, ready?" She asked, waiting for his slight nod, before beginning the procedure once more. She counted silently for the first section of the method, and Taylor bit his lip nervously, concerned he'd overstepped some invisible line by prying into her life. "My dad died when I was a little girl... Probably just shy of Taari's age, so, I don't really remember him too well nowadays..." She said quietly, gently turning his head and resetting her count. "He had a tumor, which was supposed to be benign, but... when they took him in for surgery; they found it had spread. There were complications, and he never came back." She continued softly, rolling him onto his side. "I hated those doctors so much, I blamed them for taking my daddy away from me... I was a pretty petty little kid..."

"I'll bet you were amazing." Taylor said quickly, his eyes flicking to hers as she slowly sat him up again. "Just like you are now." He added, reaching up to squeeze her hand briefly.

"Heh, you always see the best in people Taylor," she muttered quietly, her blonde hair billowing gently around her face, as she shook her her head fondly. "Now, how do you feel?"

"Not true," Taylor objected, grinning goofily as she rechecked his eyes. "I utterly  _despise_  Rourke. There's literally,  _no_  good to be found anywhere in that man." He said firmly, before lowering his eyes sheepishly. "And, a little better..? The dizziness isn't so strong this time..." He said, as she nodded and quickly repositioned him again.

"Okay, last one, I promise." Michelle said, angling his neck and quickly lowering him to the bed. "... I grew up watching my mom struggle, trying to work to earn the money that she needed not only to raise me, but pay off the bills which my dad had usually dealt with." She said, resuming her explanation seamlessly, as she silently counted and maneuvered him. "One day it just kind of hit me... Other people must be having to watch their moms or dads face such health struggles as my dad had; and the aftermath as my mom did. And, I didn't want them to suffer like that..." She said, sitting him up for the final time. "I guess, a part of me selfishly wanted to become the best surgeon who ever was; just so i could feel justified in my hatred of those who had failed my dad... But, a year into my course, it kinda hit me; just how hard they must have been working to save him."

"Michelle..." Taylor said quietly, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and drawing her up to sit beside him on the bed. He leaned against her, resting his forehead against her temple. "That sounds like something only a pretty amazing person would do to me..." He said quietly, and the blonde laughed, as she wiped beneath her eyes.

"How'd you feel?" She asked, reaching over to squeeze his hand.

"Better." He admitted, his lips curving into a cocky grin. "Definitely well enough-"

 _"Don't_  even think about it!" Michelle scolded, narrowing her eyes at him. "That is the  _last_  thing you need right now!" She fumed, as Taylor pouted. "We'll do this again in the morning, before we set out." She said firmly, patting his hand as she pushed to her feet.

"I was  _gonna_  say, I felt well enough to get a very restful night of satisfying sleep." Taylor muttered mutinously, as Michelle rolled her eyes and set her hands on her hips.

 _"Sure_  you were, Taylor." She said, shaking her head in exasperation. "Just,  _rest."_  She ordered, pointing firmly at the bed. "Try to avoid sudden movements." She added thoughtfully, before turning towards the door. "See you in the morning, Taylor... And," she paused, biting her lip as she glanced back at him with a torn expression.

Taylor smiled gently, shooing her to go. "I know, I know... I'm amazing." He sniggered, as she rolled her eyes and sighed, pacing back quickly to press a kiss to his cheek.

"Jake really  _is_  a bad influence on you." She murmured, before moving away again. "But, thankyou." She said determinedly, before stalking out the door without another word.

Taylor chuckled, rubbing at the lipstick mark on his cheek with amusement, before carefully laying down to do as he'd been told. He was startled from a light doze sometime later, when the bed dipped with the added weight of another body. He smiled, a pleased him escaping him when a scratchy kiss was pressed to his temple. "You missed..." He said, cracking one eye open to see his pilot raise a brow at him in intrigue. "That should have gone here..." He giggled, tapping his finger to his lips.

Jake huffed a quiet, amused laugh, his fingers grazing Taylors cheek briefly, before he rolled onto his back with a despondent sigh. "Can't see, strict orders from Maybelline... No gettin' you all excited or undoing any of her work." He said, chuckling when Taylor whined pathetically. "If you wouldn't keep gettin' yaself into these situations-"

"I didn't  _do_  anything!" Taylor complained, ignoring Jake's snort of disbelief and folding his arms over his chest petulantly. He bit his lip, staring up at the ceiling in irritation at everyone's overprotectiveness. "What if I promise not to get excited..? Like,  _at all._  No excitement, what so ever?" He bargained, as Jake laughed and rolled back to his side, peering down at him with a crooked grin.

"That don't exactly sell me on the idea, Boy Scout..." He sniggered, as Taylor pouted up at him and toyed with his dog tags, the pilots eyes crinkling in amusement at Taylors apparent distress.

"You're enjoying this way too much." Taylor accused, grimacing when the pilot snickered and failed to deny it. "Sure, laugh it up. You just wait, Jacob Lucas McKenzie, one day  _you're_  gonna be the one on bed rest and I'm gonna rub it in  _your_  face that I'm not going to-" his dark promise was silenced by the light but insistent brush of lips against his own. Jake kept the kiss light, his grin never fading as he quietly stole Taylors complaints away, along with his breath.

"There, now there's no need to ever keep that threat, just incase..." He said, his amusement palpable when Taylor sighed contentedly.

"See, no excitement. Totally calm. Not at all turned on right now." Taylor muttered, a sappy grin curling his lips as he played with Jake's dog tags fondly. "So, you should do it again."

"And everyone says _I'm_  the bad influence!" Jake scoffed, rolling onto his back with a groan.  _"Urgh..._  Go to sleep, Taylor, before I do something which will have Maybelline yelling at both of us tomorrow..." He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he swallowed heavily.

Taylor smirked, opening his mouth to give a witty rejoinder, when he decided against it. Instead he pressed himself against his pilots side, and obediently closed his eyes; taking comfort in the other mans presence and body heat, as he released a content sigh. Eventually he drifted into a restful sleep, where he dreamed of his friends; and his pilot.

When he woke in the morning, it was to a scratching sensation at his shoulder, his shirt drawn aside just enough to expose the skin beneath. He grinned sleepily, and curled his arms around Jake's shoulders, pulling him closer as he made small sounds of approval and contentment. "Hmm,  _that's_  what I call a good morning..." He mumbled, giggling as Jake huffed against his shoulder.

"I promised I'd wake you up with sex every morning; but this is gonna have to do ya." The pilot muttered, his teeth nipping Taylor's shoulder quickly, drawing back as Taylor burst out laughing.

"Backing out on the first day?" He tutted, once he calmed himself, his eyes alight with mischief as he woke fully.

"Hey, you're the pain in the ass keeps gettin' yourself into these stupid situations." Jake grumbled, as he sat up and swung his legs off the bed. "Stop getting hurt, I won't have to back out." The pilot snorted, as Taylor groaned in frustration.

"I am  _never_  going to forget this, I hope you're aware of that." He muttered sullenly, as Jake paused, glancing back towards him. After a moments silence, Jake turned fully, a curious and thoughtful frown on his face, as he brushed his fingers along the back of Taylors hand. "What..?" Taylor asked nervously, the intent look on his pilots face making his stomach feel both hollow and fluttery.

Jake stared for another long moment, before a crooked smirk hitched his lip upwards, and he shook his head."Nothin'." He said quietly, leaning forward to press his mouth against Taylors in a firm but fleeting kiss; when the sound of a throat clearing loudly made them freeze.

"I'm pretty sure I said  _none_  of that..." Michelle scolded them, and Taylor groaned, as Jake pulled away with a dry chuckle.

"Boy Scout's done nothing but sleep, all night." Jake drawled reassuringly, standing from the bed and stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Scout's honour." Taylor added brightly, sniggering at Jake's amused bark of laughter. Michelle glared between the two and pointed firmly to the door.

 _"Out."_  She ordered, and Jake rolled his eyes before winking at Taylor, and silently complying. "And  _you-"_

"I was good!" Taylor protested, as Michelle rounded on him, his eyes wide as he watched her narrow her eyes at him suspiciously. "I promise!" He squawked, panic flaring briefly, before the blonde giggled and covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh my god, the women in this group are evil..!" He groaned, as she approached and crouched beside his bed.

"How're you feeling today?" She asked, as he sat up with a cautious grimace.

"Uh, not as bad as yesterday?" Taylor hedged, shaking his head slightly and noticing that although there was lingering dizziness, it was certainly nowhere near as bad as it had the previous day. "A lot better, to be honest."

"Okay, well, how about we repeat the Epley Maneuver anyway, before we set out?" She suggested, and he nodded with a faint huff of resignation. The blonde quickly rearranged his pillows and position, and ran him through the procedure three times, counting out minutes silently, as she repeatedly checked his eyes and asked for his input. She left him sitting on his bed, with the firm instruction to rest until someone cane to collect him.

"Urgh, this sucks." He sighed, as he pushed to his feet with a grimace and grabbed his bag. He made no effort to find the Heart or the strange shard he'd found, instead merely checking the idols were well hidden and secured within safely, before slinging it over his shoulder. He was just about to stride purposefully through the hut door, when he considered Michelle's ire if she discovered he'd disobeyed her, and swiftly reconsidered. He sat on the bed with a grunt, and waited a full thirty minutes until Diego came to call for him. "Dude, please tell me it's time to go. Like,  _right_  now. This second,  _now."_  He pleaded, as Diego snickered at his obviously desperation.

"Come on, Rapunzel, lets get you outta your tower." His friend chortled, and Taylor was so relieved to finally be heading out with everyone, he let the jibe slide cheerfully. Diego led him through Elyys'tel, riding the elevator to the base of the great tree, where they met the rest of their group. "Okay, we have the Princess; we may leave now." Diego sniggered, as Taylor scowled and shoved him aside playfully.

"Dude, just 'cause I let you get away with it once, does not mean I'm gonna let you again." He snarked, sticking his tongue out at his friend, as Diego laughed at him.

"Taylor, I know I'm probably wasting my breath here," Michelle sighed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "But if at all possible, please try to avoid most forms of exertion, as well as any sudden movements or just... Anything that you'd normally do?"

"Yes, yes; Taylor promises to be a good boy." Taylor grumbled, blushing as they all laughed at him. "Can we  _go_  now?" He complained, ignoring them all as he stomped away and made his way toward the village exit. He felt a hand thread its way into his own, but he didn't acknowledge it, as he set them out on their northward journey. As they crested the foothills of a mountain range, the temperate sea breeze gave way to a noticeable chill, and Taylor began to shiver.

"Hey, you still all feisty?" Jake asked with a quiet chuckle, squeezing his hand and pulling him closer against his side.

 _"Maybe..."_  Taylor mumbled petulantly, glancing over to see the pilot watching him with both concern and amusement. "No..." He muttered, rolling his eyes as a small grin curled his lips. He was about to mention the changing climate, when one of the Vaanti scouts suddenly stopped, and pointed into the distance.

" **Much snow up ahead**!" He said steadily, his natural tongue echoing in Taylors mind with a thick accent. He looked toward the distant slopes, and saw gleaming snow, running all the way down to the shoreline.

"It will be very cold soon." Varyyn said, coming to a halt and raising his hands to gain everyone's attention, encouraging then to converge around him. "We must prepare." He called, slightly louder.

"But, this is a  _tropical island!"_  Quinn cried, her eyes wide as she stared around the Vaanti, hastily bundling themselves in more layers.

"How far north did we walk, anyway?" Craig asked, staring at the snow in awestruck confusion.

"It must be a time anomaly..." Grace said thoughfully, narrowing her eyes at the frozen sector of island before them. "Maybe an ice age, from thousands of years ago..." She suggested, as the scouts produced rolled blankets from their packs, and began offering them to everyone.

"You will need this." Said a green skinned female, as she pressed a blanket into Zahra's arms.

"Uh, sure... I'll take one." Zahra said, accepting the bundle and wrapping it over her head, and around her shoulders.

 **"Tosskal."**  Diego said, tipping his head to the scout respectfully. "Thank you." He added for everyone else's benefit, as Taylor snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Show off..." He muttered, nudging his friend with his shoulder as he grinned at him. Diego flushed and glanced guiltily at Varyyn, before shoving Taylor right back.

"Well, it's something, at least." Michelle conceded, mimicking Zahra and wrapping herself up warmly.

"Much appreciated." Sean said, accepting his own blanket, while Quinn beamed and followed his lead. Eventually, the scouts ran out, leaving Taylor and Jake without.

"Here-" Jake began, pulling his jacket sleeves free, only for Taylors hands to clamp tightly over his own.

 _"Don't,_  even think about it." Taylor snarked, frowning at him in irritation. "Why the hell would I take that, just to see you get cold?" He demanded, noticing his breath turn into a cloud of steam in the air.

"I can handle it," Jake insisted, trying again to remove his jacket, only for Taylor to prevent him once more. "Look, you need it more than me, okay?"

"Says who?" Taylor demanded, scowling at his pilot as Jake glared back at him.

"Your chattering teeth!" The pilot growled, and Taylor balked as he realised Jake was right, and his teeth were indeed beginning to chatter. He stubbornly grit them together, glaring at his pilot defiantly as the other mans expression darkened.

"Taylor, you need a jacket-" Grace began, only for Jake to cut over her, as she began to rummage through her bag.

"See? Brain Trust agrees!" Jake growled, gesturing towards Grace blindly, focused on Taylors stubborn refusal of his jacket.

"Fortunately, I'm always cold, and bring lots of extra layers!" Grace called over then both with a giggle, beaming a wide grin at them as she held out a bundle of clothes. "Try these on!" She insisted eagerly, as Taylor accepted them from her.

Without any further argument, he quickly pulled the brown trousers over his green shorts, and a thick brown shirt over his head. He threw the other one at Jake, sniggering when it wrapped around his face, as he pulled on a thick blue jacket and fingerless gloves; sighing when he instantly felt the benefits of the warm clothing. "Let winter come! I'm ready!" He said proudly, posing with his hands on his hips, before dissolving into laughter.

"Aw, you look so cozy and cuddly..." Quinn praised, giggling as she smiled at him, her hands clasped beneath her blanket tightly.

"Layered, locked and loaded!" Grace laughed, beaming at him happily. He flashed her a warm smile in response, drawing her into a brief hug.

"Thanks, Grace!" He said, grinning as he released her and turned towards his pilot, who was shrugging back into his jacket after adding the extra layer beneath it. "Hmm," Taylor hummed, frowning thoughtfully as he stepped over to him, reaching for his collar without comment.

"Well, hello there..." Jake murmured smugly, winking as Taylors fingers dove beneath his new shirt. "Thought we were putting clothes  _on..."_  Jake sniggered, his hands falling to Taylors hips, as Taylor snorted and rolled his eyes.

"I thought I was banned... No getting me all excited, I believe you said..." He snickered, as he dragged Jake's dog tags out from beneath his new layer. "Hmm, that's better. More you." He said, his fingers fiddling with the tags as Jake snorted.

"You had all yesterday to recover." Jake said dismissively, as a slow smile blossomed across Taylors face. He kept his eyes locked on Jake's dog tags, stubbornly avoiding his eyes as he basked in the pilots returned sense of impatience.

"Hmm, well, have to catch me first then!" He said, finally looking up as he nudged Jake's shoulder and darted away with a delighted laugh, proceeding after the rest of their bundled up group, toward the frozen landscape ahead.

As they continued on however, the weather quickly began to intensify around them. Soon, Taylors mirth was forgotten, as they trudged ever onward; the snow underfoot becoming thick enough to crunch with each step. Cold winds began to drive clusters of falling snow into their faces, and Taylor was inherently pleased to have his thicker clothing to protect his body.

"This is just  _miserable..."_  Aleister sighed, his voice barely carrying over the wind.

"Freakin' ice age around here." Craig complained, hugging his football jersey tighter around himself as his eyes darted to Zahra, who was struggling to clamber through the large snow drifts. "What's next, some kinda meteor impact?"

"Don't give the anomalies any ideas, Gronk." Jake warned, his tired gaze meeting Taylors briefly, before he faced forward once more. While they all complained, one member of their group actually seemed more chipper than ever.

 _"Mr-hrr-hrr_!" Furball chirped happily, in a parody of laughter. The little fox ran ahead repeatedly, then stopped to wait fir them to catch up, seeming to enjoy the game.

"Well, at least he's in his element." Taylor snickered, as several of his friends groaned around him. He hesitated suddenly, noticing Furball had cone to a sudden halt, his ears perked forwards intently. He swallowed thickly, a heavy sense of foreboding building in his gut. "What's wrong, little guy?" He asked, following the little foxes line of sight.

"Someone's there." Estela warned, already gripping her spear as she caught sight of what Furball had found ahead of them. Taylors throat dried suddenly, his eyes alighting upon a lone silhouette amid the white haze.

"Jake..." He murmured, half lost within his own mind as a frantic tug pulled at his mind. The pilot didn't respond, his attention locked onto the potential threat ahead of them, as he slowly sidled closer to Taylor. "Who's there?" Taylor demanded, a hand raising to his brow with a hiss as he doubled over, when a spark of pain blasted quickly through his head.

"Boy Scout-"

 _"Jake!"_  Taylor gasped, panting as he tried to straighten himself quickly. He looked up with fearful wide eyes, his memories overlapping perfectly, as a small circled glowed red near the figures face; accompanied by a wisp of smoke, which quickly disappeared in the wind. "Jake!" He called more urgently, looking at his pilot in desperation.  _"Run!"_  He demanded pleadingly, but Jake's expression was already twisting with recognition.

 _"Lundgren."_  The pilot snarled, his hands balling into fists as he glared at the heavily muscled man wearing a military jumpsuit, beneath an intricate steel exoskeleton. Taylor grit his teeth and forced his way through the snow, grabbing Jake's wrist and attempting to pull him away.

"Jake, please..!" He begged, as Jake remained rooted to the spot, glaring hatefully at his ex-commander. The man took another drag from his cigar, and fixed Jake in his stern gaze.

 _"Jacob."_  He said smugly, his eyes flaring with self satisfaction for having finally caught up to his last loose end. "How long's it been?"

"Not long enough, you  _miserable-"_  Jake snarled, only for Taylor to try and drag him away again.

"Jake,  _please!"_  He pleaded, only for Jake to continue to ignore him, too entirely driven by his hatred of the man who'd killed his best friend.

"Your family's disappointed in you, McKenzie." Lundgren gloated, smirking like the ultimate predator, when Jake growled and took a step closer.  _"First,_  you sold American arms to a Kharzistani dictator,  _then_  you resisted arrest and took yourself off the grid."

"What do you  _want,_  Lundgren?!" Jake snarled, his finger clawing into his own palms as he strained against Taylors grip on his wrist, his body itching to launch itself at his ex-commander.

 _"Jake..."_  Taylor choked, his tears freezing on his cheeks in the cold wind, as his heart hammered with pain.

 _"You,_  McKenzie." Lundgren chuckled darkly, flicking cigar ash into the wind smugly. "I'm here to bring you in."

"Jake, who the hell is this dude, anyway?" Craig called, scowling at the traitorous military commander in confusion and dislike.

" _Isn't it bloody obvious_?!" Taylor yelled back, his frustration growing as he failed to draw Jake away. " _Now godammit, help me bloody well get him outta here!"_  He demanded, only for his friends to remain rotted in place, too shocked to move.

"I think he's his old commander..." Zahra said in wide eyed disbelief, as Taylor screamed in frustration and wrapped his arms around Jake's chest, trying to pull him back.

"Had to break the news to your mama myself." Lundgren goaded, and Jake tensed, as he leaned forward, taking another step forward. "'Sorry ma'am. Your son betrayed his country, and endangered his fellow soldiers.' And then, I held her, as she cried hysterically... Least I could do." He said smugly, grinning as he dragged on his cigar.

"Don't. You.  _Dare."_  Jake roared, struggling against Taylors grip in his efforts to reach Lundgren.

"That all you got, boy?" Lundgren sneered, eyeing Jake with distaste. "Lyin' around in a hammock's made you soft."

"We both know what happened, Lundgren. What you did." Jake growled furiously, his struggles increasing. " _You killed him!_ " He roared brokenly, and Taylors heart; stopped. His eyes widened slowly, his arms falling from their hold on Jake, as he swallowed thickly.

 _I loved him like a brother_... Taylor recalled the words Jake had uttered in his room, the first night he'd confessed about his past. His balance faltered for a moment, as doubt hit him like a grenade.  _Like a brother..._  He tried to remind himself of the words, shaking his head as all that came to him was the first part of his confession, and the broken roar of a heartbroken man _. I loved him... You killed him._..

"Jacob, while I'd love to catch up on old times, I'm gonna need you to come with me if you don't want your new friends to get hurt." Lundgren drawled disinterestedly, utterly unmoved by Jake's emotional state.

"Taylor," Estela murmured urgently, drawing Taylor from his broken thoughts with a small gasp. "We should be able to take him down, if he's on his own-"

"Arachnid!" Lundgren yelled, cutting off Estela's plans. "Into position!" He barked, signalling to forces they couldn't see through the snow.

"You were saying, Estela?!" Taylor yelled, as a series of armoured Hummers came roaring over a nearby ridge. Soldiers emerged from the vehicles, and began to move into formation, readying their rifles.

"Boy Scout, it's  _me_  he wants!" Jake cried, turning to seek Taylor out. "Take the others and  _get out of here_!"

"Oh,  _now_  you notice me?!" Taylor scowled, ignoring Jake's blatant flinch at the sight of his frozen tear stained face, as he glared at the pilot. "Jake, I can't just-" he growled, only for Michelle to cut him off.

"Are we really doing this right now?!" The blonde demanded, looking at the armed soldiers ready to shoot them any second.

" _Jake, I am not leaving you_!" Taylor spat, his expression twisting into a snarl as the pilot groaned.

"Dammit, Boy Scout..." Jake sighed, running his hand through his hair in frustration. "Why you gotta make me feel weak at a time like this?" The pilot asked quietly, reaching for him, only for Taylor to jerk himself out of the other mans reach, fixing him with a hard glare. "Wha-"

"Just,  _shut up!"_  Taylor cried, biting his lip to contain his overwhelming emotions. Jake blinked, visibly taken aback by his anger, a frown of confusion slowly forming on his face.

"Aw, Jacob; you got yourself a new  _pet."_  Lundgren sneered, chuckling darkly as a spark of recognition lot in his eyes. "You're the one Rourke wants..." He said thoughtfully, gesturing to one of his men in red armour.

"You can shut the hell up as well!" Taylor yelled, scowling at the military commander hatefully. "You and Rourke are both the bloody same, always wanting shit you  _can't have!"_  He cried, his chest swelling with frustration and pain.

"Boy Scout-"

"Heh, I  _like_  this one, Jacob; he's got some fire in him!" Lundgren chuckled, eyeing Taylor thoughtfully. "Rourke said he wanted you alive, but he never said we couldn't have ourselves a little fun and games first." He gestured once more to the red armoured man, who began moving forward with a faint reluctance in his step. Taylor blinked, a deep hollowness forming within him as the soldier approached, but once he tried to focus on the feeling; it became lost within the sea of churning emotions in his mind.

He was distracted from his tangled web of emotions, when Jake tried to step in front of him. Taylor scowled, deliberately moving aside and pushing the pilot back, as he felt the spark of irritation in him flare.  _"Taylor!"_  Jake called, but Taylor ignored him; a twisted sense of vindication flooding him as the pilot felt the fear he had.

"You know, I  _really_  don't like you." Taylor sneered, folding his arms over his chest as he scowled at Lundgren, who began to laugh uproariously at his defiance. Taylor caught sight of Craig in his peripheral vision, as the jock quietly scooped up several handfuls of snow. He noticed Sean and Zahra following his cue, and copying him; and he shook his head as he looked up at Lundgren with disgust. "I didn't think I could hate  _anyone_  as much as I hated Rourke... Congratulations, on proving me wrong... Would you like a trophy?" He asked, cocking his head curiously.

"Sure, Spitfire, why not?" Lundgren chuckled, waving him over. "You come on over here and give me a nice big 'trophy'." He goaded, as Taylor snorted in disgust.

 _"Now!"_  Craig yelled, and Taylor stepped aside as the jock launched his first snowball directly into Lundgren's face. The three of them quickly pelted the still readying soldiers with the rest of their hard packed snowballs, taking them by surprise.

"Everybody,  _run!"_  Sean cried, as they ran out of snowballs, the Arachnid troops either on the ground or fumbling to regain their weapons.

"Scouts!" Varyyn called, gesturing to his people. "Protect the Catalysts retreat!" He demanded, as he sought out Diego and urged him to flee ahead of him. The Vaanti scouts were immediately in action, drawing spears from their backs, as they rushed toward to engage the soldiers.

Taylor hesitated, a troubled frown marring his brow, at the sight of the red armoured man, ignoring the Vaanti unless they directly engaged him; continuing towards Taylor intently. "What the  _hell_  are you-" Jake growled, grabbing his hand quickly, only for Taylor to shake him off. "Boy Sc-"

Taylor averted his gaze, as the others used the momentary distraction to scramble towards a nearby ravine. Without a word he moved after them, Jake sticking close to his side. Rounding the mountain slope, he nearly ran right off the edge of a cliff. He skidded to a halt barely in time, but Diego was less lucky.

"Wha-  _ugh!"_  He gasped, as he raced toward the cliff edge, his eyes wide as he beheld the empty air before him.

 _"Diego!"_  Varyyn cried desperately, sprinting as fast as he could towards the olive skinned boy, as his foot slipped on the precipice. He struggled to throw his weight backwards, staring down on terror at the drop before him.

Taylor felt his fear coalescing, something tangible in his chest, as time seemed to slow around him. He reached out and latched onto Diego, drawing him back to the cliff edge, and managing to steady him just as time snapped back into its tracks.

 _"Ohmygod!"_  Diego gushed, his words slurring incomprehensibly as he clutched at the rock face. He peeked over at his best friend, his breath coming in quick bursts, as he grabbed Taylors hand. "Thanks, Taylor!"

"You have my gratitude as well." Varyyn said, his tone heavy with relief, as he reached for Diego, making sure he was steady enough to continue.

"That's a really long fall..." Grace mumbled nervously, and Taylor recalled with a pang, the girls 'debilitating fear of heights' which she had told them off, during their trip to the observatory. He looked down to see she was right, the bottom of the chasm being lost in the darkness hundreds of feet below them.

"Dudes, there's a path around the edge!" Raj cried, shimmying as fast as he could, up a narrow walkway. Bottles clinked in his messenger bag, and if it were any other time; Taylor would have laughed. Instead, he followed silently, slipping in ahead of Jake, as the pilot waited for him; glancing back the way they'd come.

"They're gainin' on us!" He warned, turning to Taylor in desperation. "Keep movin', Boy Scout!" He pleaded, as Taylor rolled his eyes.

"Na, I thought I'd just wait and let them take me!" He said waspishly, huffing an irritated sigh as the pilot frowned at him.

"What the hell's got into you?!" Jake asked, as they slowly ascended, the snowfall becoming heavier around them.

 _"Nothing!"_  Taylor snapped, scowling as the pilots expression morphed in irritation.

"Really, then why're-"

"Shut up and keep moving!" Taylor snarked, turning away and ignoring the pilot, as a wrecked aircraft came into view. It's wings balanced precariously atop two adjacent cliffs, frozen unsteadily into place by snow and ice. As his gaze returned to the walkway, Taylor noticed someone rounding a corner ahead of them.

"Well, well..." Drawled a woman with long dreadlocks. Her armour seemed to flash strangely, glimmering in the light. "Don't I just feel like the Pied Piper?" She chuckled, as she repositioned the sunglasses on her face. Taylor saw she had two katana blades crossed over her back, strapped into a special harness, fitted to the back of her odd armour.

 _"You."_  Jake growled hatefully, and Taylor grimaced, shuffling further along the pathway.

"Oh joy, you know  _her,_  too?" He said sourly, as Jake blinked in surprise at the hostility in his tone. "What did  _she_  do? Sell your kidney?" He asked scathingly, as a hard gleam flashed in Jake's eyes.

"What the  _bloody hell_  is wrong with you-"

"What, ex girlfriend?" Taylor snorted coldly, his heart clouding with doubt, and grief; and ultimately, breaking.

 _"What?!"_  Jake yelped, as Taylor stubbornly refused to meet his gaze. Taylor pushed on along the path, but as soon as the path opened out a hair wider, Jake's hand was closed around his wrist, drawing him back and slamming him against the rock face. "What the bloody hell is going on with you?!" Jake demanded, scowling at him, until he caught the broken gleam in Taylors eyes.

"What do you bloody care?!" Taylor replied, his eyes lowering to Jake's shoes, as he tried to stem the hot tide of tears which stung at his eyes. "I  _begged_  you to listen to me, to run, to  _get away;_  and you just wouldn't bloody do it!" He cried, his free hand curling into a fist and slamming into Jake's shoulder. "They were gonna take you away, and lock you in a cell for  _five fucking years, Jake_!" He cried, struggling against the pilots hold, as he tried to squirm away. "Now get,  _off of me_  and get bloody moving!" He growled, his heart snapping with pain like the brittle ice shelf behind them. He scowled as the woman who had appeared began to laugh delighted, staring at Jake with barely contained hatred, and glee.

"Well, you might say Wolf and i go way back..." She said, reaching over her shoulders, and unsheathing her two katanas.

"You can shut the hell up as well!" Taylor snarked, glaring over at her in irritation. His heart swelled with anger, fear and pain, and he frowned, as time seemed to shimmer around him.

"I gotta say, it's just great to see you found a new plaything..." The woman said, her tech enhanced blades radiating waves of heat, causing then cliffside to weep melting snow as she slowly approached. "But, it looks like this one needs some training. How 'bout I teach him some manners?"

"Get the hell away from him, Fiddler!" Jake growled desperately, attempting to pull Taylor behind him.

"Here, kiddie kiddies..." She called tauntingly, as Taylor allowed Jake to step before him, lost in his examination of the shimmering air around him.

 _"I don't like her."_  Zahra said firmly, scowling at the tech clad woman hatefully.

 _"Uhhh,_  little help here, guys?" Raj called pleadingly, breaking Taylor out of his musings with his concerned cry.

He looked over, to see Fiddler smugly approaching the large boy, her blades extended before her. "Raj!" He cried, his heart racing as he realised his friends proximity to the deadly weapons. He looked from the blades, steaming against the nearby snow, to Raj; who clinked faintly as he backed away from them. Inspiration struck, and he tore his arm free of Jake's grasp, moving around him to step closer to his friend. "Raj! Douse her!" He called urgently.

"Taylor-" he avoided the pilots attempt to re-snag his hand, throwing him a brief baleful glance as he hurried after his friend.

"Argue later, Jake! Just  _get moving!"_  He snapped, hearing Jake growl in frustration, before falling into step behind him.

"But, dude..." Raj pouted, as Taylor approached and grabbed at his bag, reaching in for the nearest bottle he could lay his hands on. "I've only got my good stuff on hand!" Raj protested, snatching the bottle from Taylors hand with a pout.

"Just  _do_  it!" Taylor barked, pointing to the approaching tech clad woman urgently. Raj grimaced, and quickly pulled the wrapper from the cap.

"I hope you like Chateauneuf du Pape!" Raj growled, turning towards the woman, as his face fell pitifully. "... 'Cause I do." He sighed sadly, as he sabered open the bottle, causing foam and liquid to spray at her.

 _"Gah!"_  Fiddler cried in shock. Popping and fizzling sounds erupted from her katanas, as the champagne coated them, and a cloud of hissing steam rose up from them, tenporarily blinding her.

 _"Whew!"_  Raj cheered, clapping Taylor on the shoulder. "Good call, Taylor!"

 _"Yeahhh!"_  Zahra snorted, grinning widely at the woman's struggle, as she tried to avoid her own sizzling blades. "Suck on that,  _bitch!"_

Taylor heard a series of heavy thuds, and he turned, suddenly realising that someone was approaching from behind. "Told Lundgren I wasn't going to kill any of you..." Called a beefy man with metallic hands, a red and black chest plate and glowing red goggles. The hulking brute pointed one of his mechanical fists toward the mountain slope. "Heh, guess I lied!" He chortled gleefully, as Taylor felt panic swell within him.

The power fist struck the rock face with a deafening crack, causing the walkway to tremor beneath their feet. Fissures formed in the slope, and Taylor looked up to see huge chunks of stone rolling down towards them. "Get moving!" He yelled, preparing to flee himself, but pausing instead; as he noticed the air shimmer around him once more.

"We gotta cross!" Sean called in agreement, pointing towards the chasm. "Head for the plane!" He yelled, as Taylor grimaced in concentration, feeling for the time currents as he had when they'd been under the influence of the tree sap.

"But that thing looks like it could fall at any minute..!" Diego protested, as Taylor finally grasped the strand of time, clenching tight and pulling it taught; causing the rolling stones to slow.

"Ha!" He gasped, his eyes wide as he grinned up at them proudly. "Oh, I am  _so_  kicking ass with this later..." He muttered in awe, before looking back to his friends, and quickly following after them.

"If it was gonna fall, it would've already!" Sean growled, helping the others get past him and pushing them gently forward. "Everybody, come on!"

"Aw... leaving so soon?" Fiddler called, as she redoubled her approach, touching a disc near the center of her suit. Immediately her suit crackled, and moments later she was nearly undetectable against the cliff. "Don't worry. When it happens..." She whispered, her voice seeming to come from everywhere around them at once. "You won't  _see a thing_..."

Taylor scowled, as the cloaked katana wielder, and the hulking brute converged behind them. He glanced up, to see the rolling stones still slowly approaching the walkway. As everyone rushed onto the wings of the plane behind him, he felt for the strand of time he'd slowed, grimacing as he struggled across the distance. As the two approached, his panic flared, and he suddenly found himself grasping the stands tightly. He jerked quickly, resetting time to its regular speed, and the two looked up at the sound of the approaching rocks. "What the-?!" Fiddler cried, as the pair of them dove backwards, her suits closking abilities failing as she collided hard with the ground.

Taylor felt elation swarm his heart briefly, at the chance to buy them some time, when he heard gunfire ring out across the chasm. He spun around, his heart in his throat as he frantically looked around his friends.

 _"Taylor!"_  His heart skipped a beat as Jake raced back for him, a furious scowl on his face for his seeming hesitation. "Get your ass on the goddamn plane!" The pilot ordered, snatching Taylors hand firmly and dragging him along in his wake. Taylor followed willingly, his fear of the gunfire overwhelming the confusing swamp of his emotions within. He gripped Jake's hand tightly, half following and half pushing the pilot.

"There are more on top of the mountain!" Aleister yelled, shielding Grace with his body as he pressed her against the side of the plane. As Jake dragged Taylor onto the plane wing, he peered up at the mountain summit; where he saw Lundgren and more of his soldiers standing, their automatic rifles pointed directly at him.

"Crap... We're sitting ducks!" Craig yelled, covering Zahra with his mesty frame, as Taylor tried to grasp the shimmering strands of time around the soldiers above them, but much to his frustration; his efforts were to no avail.

Estela dropped onto the cab of the plane. She grimaced, using her heel to bash open a rusted boarding door. "Inside!  _Now!"_  She barked, as the soldiers opened fire once more. Taylor gasped, fear constricting his throat as he saw his friends hurry to jump into the gutted interior of the plane, a hail of bullets streaking through the air towards them. His heart swelled, and he reached towards the bullets, successfully slowing then long enough for Grace and Aleister to make it into the plane, before his loose grasp failed.

"Taylor, get on the damn plane!" Jake growled, as he slumped against the pilots side, a wave of exhaustion blazing through him. Jake dragged him towards the gap, and he stumbled, before jumping over and slipping as he landed, crashing to the plane floor. "Aw,  _hell-"_  Jake groused, as he threw himself inside after him, skidding to his knees beside Taylor as his body trembled inside his warm clothing. "What the  _hell_  is going on with you?" The pilot demanded, his gaze hard as he pulled Taylor close and refused to be shrugged off. "I ain't lettin' go." He growled in Taylors ear, his voice thick with the tide of emotions he clearly felt.

"You  _did_  though!" Taylor choked, struggling to sit himself upright. "You were just gonna go off alone, and take all of those guys on yourself, and  _you expected me to leave you_!" He exploded, as Estela waited by the door to help Lila, as the tour guide leapt across the chasm.

"How is that any different to  _all_  the times, you've done the  _same_  damn thing?!" Jake snarled, his eyes glazed with fury and pain alike. "Oh wait, I didn't have anybody  _forcibly drag you away_! I gave in, I stayed with you!"

"That's different and you  _know_  it!" Taylor yelled, shoving himself out of Jake's embrace and leaning against the plane wall. "I knew what was gonna happen!"

"Well, maybe this time _I_  knew!" Jake countered, scowling at him in mounting frustration. "Maybe this time _I_  was gonna save  _you!_  But no, you had to get mouthy, and  _now;_  they know what you mean to me! And they ain't  _never_  gonna stop gunning for you!"

"Oh please, what the hell is  _that_  supposed to mean?" Taylor scoffed, rolling his eyes as he tried to get his feet beneath him. "What exactly are they supposed to think I mean t-"

 _"Everything!"_  Jake snarled, and Taylors heart lurched suddenly, his stomach twisting sharply as he drew back in surprise.

 _"What?!"_  He yelped, his eyes widening as Jake snorted and ran his hand through his hair in frustration, his gaze hard with irritation.

"Why are you so damn surprised? Everyone else in your little Rat Pack seems to already know it." The pilot said scathingly, gripping the front of Taylors jacket and tugging him forward. "You just stuck a giant target on your face, and these  _ain't_  the kinda people who fucking miss, Taylor!" He growled at him, glaring across the short distance between their noses.

Taylor stared at the pilot in shock, his heart racing as the other mans words soaked into his overhyped system. "But-"

"I hate to interrupt your touching moment, but we have company!" Estela yelled, and Taylor blinked as he pulled away from Jake, frowning at the dark haired girl as she backed away from the door, her spear raised defensively. He shook his head, pushing to his feet as he glanced at Jake, who simmered silently and pointedly avoided his eyes.

Seconds later, Lundgrens furious snarl echoed across to them from outside. " _Gas 'em, Mouse."_  He ordered, and moments later, the masked figure in red armour dropped onto the nose of the plane, and smashed the front windshield. They said nothing, as they hurled a series of canisters inside. Violet coloured gas drifted out of the cans, threatening to quickly fill the cabin.

"Oh no... No cannon this time, Taylor!" Grace called hysterically, as Aleister pulled her behind him, shielding her from the smoke as best he could.

Taylor shook his head, racing towards the cockpit panel as he glanced over it quickly. "There's gotta be something on this dashboard..." He muttered, frantically running his hands over panels, switches and dials.  _"Here!"_  He cried suddenly, flicking a label marked; Emergency Oxygen Masks. He whirled around, as panels popped open in the ceiling, and masks on rubber tubes descended over the passenger seats.

"Brilliant!" Peeking around Aleister to grab a mask, and quickly slipping it over her face.

"Good call..!" Jake admitted, fleetingly meeting his gaze with a spark of admiration. Taylor flushed, offering a weak and awkward grin as he shrugged.

"I just... I figured, its what you would've done..." He mumbled, scratching the back of his neck, meeting Jake's eyes again briefly before looking away guiltily.

As the toxic gas rose, everyone quickly took a seat, and grabbed a mask. Taylor found himself sat beside Jake, the two of them awkward and silent, as they gulped down clean air and tried to push away the harsh words they'd exchanged. He glanced around at a thumping sound, and paled when he caught sight of Craig, struggling to open a wall mounted first aid cabinet. "How the hell are you supposed to get this to..." The jock grumbled, scowling as he clawed at the door.

"Craig, what the hell do you need in there?" Michelle called, her tone panicked as she glanced around the rapidly rising gas in the cabin. Taylor narrowed his eyes, looking through the cabinet window, where he saw a glistening amber figure.

 _Why the hell not_? He thought wryly, tossing his head back against his chair for a moment.  _Todays already fucked up beyond repair, why not add to it by watching another friend die_? He thought sourly, chuckling as he reached up to pull off his mask. Jake's hand shot out to stop him, clutching his wrist tightly as his eyes met Taylors pleadingly. Taylor's heart melted, regret for his irrational behaviour niggling at him, as he leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Jake's briefly. "Catch you on the flip side." He whispered, as he pulled off his mask with his free hand, and tugged himself free from Jake's surprised hold. He raced through the smoke, and unlatched the cabinet door, winking at Craig as the jock flushed. As the door of the cabinet swung open, a crumpled note fell out.

 **Found this during excavation. Silas should be interested in it. Don't show it to any of Rourke's people. -Henry**.

Taylor shook his head, frowning st the note in confusion. "Odd place to stash it..." He muttered, before shrugging and tossing the note aside. He reached in for the idol, and after sucking in a very shallow breath to steady himself, he handed it to Craig.

 _"Nice,_  Taylor!" The jock cried, a huge grin splitting his face, as he grabbed ahold of it. Instantly, Taylors world melted away in a wash of rippling colours.

He found himself in an airport waiting area, where Craig and Sean were standing next to a pile of luggage. "Heck yeah, bro." Craig cheered, jostling Sean excitedly as he grinned widely. "One tropical island vacation, comin' up!"

"Can't wait." Sean beamed back, exchanging a fist bump and brief slap on the back with his friend. "Hey, you find out yet?" He asked eagerly, as they parted."

"Uh, nah..." Craig hedged, his excited expression falling suddenly. "They'll probably email me tomorrow or somethin'." He said dismissively, averting his gaze to hide the uncertainty in them.

"You  _got_  this, Hsiao." Sean assured, clapping his friend on the shoulder warmly. "I talked to those NFL guys about you." He confessed quietly.

 _"You did?"_  Craig exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise as he turned back to his friend.

"Yeah. They were all like; 'So, what do you think of Sixty Eight? He any good?'" Sean explained, smiling wanrly at his friend.

 _"And?!"_  Craig demanded, his nervous excitement palpable in the air around them.

"I told them the truth." Sean said simply, grinning at his friend proudly. "They aren't gonna find a better run blocking guard, at any school in the state."

 _"Wow..."_  Craig breathed, his awe and respect for Sean all but glowing in his gaze. "'Preciate it, brah... I dunno, maybe I do have a shot!" He added, perking considerably.

"Oh wow!" Sean said, his eyes locked on something behind Craig as he grinned widely. "Is that, Zahra Namazi?" Craig tensed, turning to see Zahra a short distance away, as she unzipped a black duffel bag and broke out her laptop. She ignored everyone around her, intently focused on whatever she had going on within her computer. "So, she's coming to La Huerta too." Sean said thoughtfully, shaking his head in disbelief, as he ran his eyes over her. "I haven't seen her since-"

"Sophomore year." Craig said quietly, cutting his friend off as an uncharacteristic sadness crept into his expression, though his friend didn't seem to notice.

"No way!" A small voice gasped nearby, and Taylors heart lurched, as he noticed Diego looking over in awe. "Sean Gayle is coming too?" His friend choked in surprise,his eyes wide as he blatantly stared.

"Really? He is?" Grace replied, looking over herself, as several other students flocked over to Sean; his confidence and ease seeming to immediately dazzle them. Taylor wished he could frown, confused about where he was in the vision, certain he wouldn't have been far from Diego.

 _Perhaps... A last minute bathroom break, before boarding_..? He thought briefly, before becoming distracted, as he caught sight of Craig. The jock was watching everything unfold before him, as if from a completely different world, when his phone suddenly lit up with an email.

"... It's from them!" He gasped, his eyes wide in nervous anticipation, as he hesitated, before tapping on the message.

 _Dear Craig Hsiao... Our draft scouts were glad to make your acquaintance, at the Hartfeld Varsity mixer_! He read silently, beaming with excitement as he rapidly scanned the message.  _As I'm certain you're aware, we're limited on the number of athletes we can consider for the twenty seventeen NFL College Draft. While we won't be able to include you on our list, we wish you the best of luck in your future endeavours._

Taylors heart fractured and broke, as Craig's face fell in blatant devastation. The jock looked up in stunned dejection, as the sound of cheering came from the group surrounding Sean, before lowering his gaze to the floor.

The vision grew dim, as Taylor was yanked forward through time and space, the inertia bringing him to the edge of nausea, when he suddenly found himself in an unfamiliar laboratory. Several of his friends were gathered around a computer terminal, while Craig stood near a steel double door. "Big Guy, you comin' or not?" Jake called distractedly, glancing over at Craig and waving him over. "Portal's almost ready to go!"

Craig stared emptily at the group, and shook his head slowly. "Ain't nothin' for me back home." He said quietly, as a muffled explosion shook the room. The double door before the jock, cracked open slightly.

"They'll be inside soon!" Estela warned, as a trapdoor opened in the floor. Everyone quickly began to climb down, and as Michelle stepped into the hole, she waited on the ladder; looking up at him through the hatch.

"Craig, what the  _hell?"_  She demanded, scowling at him in her panic. "Come on!" She urged, as Craig walked over to the terminal, squinted at the screen thoughtfully, and tapped something quickly.

"It's been real, guys." He called, as the hydraulic hatch began to close.

"Crai-" Michelle began, only for a loud voice to shout from beneath her.

"Craig, you asshole! Get down here,  _now!"_  Zahra's furious cry cut the blonde off, the faint sound of shoving and rapid steps on a ladder ringing through the air as Michelle tried to slow the closing hatch. The blonde raised her eyes to Craig's crestfallen but determined expression, and he smiled, as the hatch snapped shut between them.

Another detonation finally knocked the double door off its hinges, and Craig covered his face against the debris briefly, before scowling at the new opening, as three soldiers entered the lab. " **Surrender or be neutralized**." Said one, their voice distorted by their mechanical mask.

 _"Screw you!"_  Craig snarled, running headlong at them, as they readied their weapons.  _"Raaaaargh!"_  He roared, as he plowed down the group like a bunch of rag dolls, sending bodies and weapons alike, clattering across the floor.

He snorted with satisfaction, spitting blood from a split lip on one soldiers back, before he turned to run through the door; only to find a towering figure blocking his way. "Heh. Like your style, kid." Said the cocky brute with mechanical hands, chuckling as he eyed the downed soldiers behind Craig.

"One side, jerkface!" Craig snarled, his eyes blazing with hatred, as he readied himself to launch at the other man.

"... That's my line." The titan of a man sniggered, before he deployed both fists into Craig's chest. The jock was thrown clear across the room, crashing heavily against the opposite wall.

 _"Ugh..."_  Craig croaked, as he slumped to the floor, gasping, as blood dripped from his parted lips.

"You gonna tell your friends to come out, or do I gotta make you fly again?" The huge man taunted, as Craig began leaned his head back against the wall, and huffed an amused sigh.

"You're too late..." He said, a small grin tugging at his lips, as he met the other mans confused gaze. "Heh. Gonna suck... to have to tell Rourke... you blew it.  _Again."_  He said, chuckling in pained amusement, as he wiped his arm across his bloody lips. "He probably wouldn't even... waste a cryo tube, on a loser like you. Just,  _heh,_  scrap you... for spare... parts." He choked, grimacing as he gasped in vain for breath. Finally his head dropped forward, the life already faded from his eyes.

Suddenly, Taylor was returned to where he'd been moments earlier, but was briskly turned, his face smothered by a green jacket which smelt faintly of whiskey. "Good god..." He whispered brokenly, his eyes closing in remorse, as his fingers clutched desperately into the fabric before him.

"Huh? What's up, Taylor?" Craig asked, heedless of the rising gas which continued to billow through the cabin.

"Gas inhalation. Gimme that damn thing and get back to ya damn mask!" Jake growled, his voice clipped, as he snatched the idol from the jock and roughly stuffed it into Taylors bag. "You're a goddamn idiot Taylor. Soon as we're outta this shit we're gonna have a talk about mutual safety and whatever the hell that was earlier..." The pilot promised, and Taylor huffed in amused exasperation. He nodded mutely, as Jake moved him back to his seat and strapped his mask over his face, quickly reapplying his own afterwards. He met Jake's eyes, the clear blue still hard with his irritation, but despite the mans ire, Taylor tentatively grasped his fingers and squeezed in thanks of his support. Until finally; the gas began to dissipate.

"Unless we can make this thing fly, we should probably get ou-" Diego began, only to be cut off, as the screech of metal grinding against metal assaulted their ears.

Estela peered out the door, and her eyes widened in shock. "She's cutting apart the wing!" She exclaimed, as everyone stripped off their masks and hurried to follow her gaze.

"This is your captain speaking..." Fiddler chuckled, a taunting grin twisting her lips. "Fasten your seatbelts, please... It's going to be a  _rough_  landing." She promised darkly.

"I thought they needed Jake and Taylor alive!" Grace cried, as Aleister held her close to his side, her eyes wide as they danced between them. "Why're they trying to kill us all?"

"Orders are orders, but accidents happen." Jake said grimly, grimacing in distaste as he glanced at Taylor. Understanding flowed between them, and Taylor averted his eyes quickly as guilt began to swarm within him. "Right now, they're just having  _fun."_  He added darkly, snorting in disgust.

"There's a door on the other side!" Lila called, pointing to a eusted door on the opposite side of the plane's cabin. Taylor and Jake hurried over, exchanging a glance as thru braced themselves. At Jake's firm nod, they forced the door open with a great slam of their shoulders, and climbed out into what seemed like a thick cloud of snow.

 _"Jake!"_  Taylor called fearfully, as a heavy blizzard made it almost impossible to see beyond a few feet.

"Right here, Boy Scout." Jake replied, his hand appearing from the whiteness to grasp his own firmly. He squeezed, as the others began climbing out open hatch, bracing themselves against the snow; as the plane lurched violently beneath them.

 _"Go!"_  Sean yelled through the storm, his voice barely audible over the wind. "Before it gets cut down!"

Everyone tried to carefully balance their way across the other Wong, struggling to shield themselves from the biting cold and blasting wind. Taylor glanced down at his cold weather gear, protecting him from the elements. "Jake, link up!" He barked, squeezing the pilots hand as he gestured towards the others. "Form a chain! I'll get us across!"

Jake hesitated a second, before complying, grabbing Diego's hand and passing the message along. "Come on, link up!" Diego called down the line, encouraging their friends to all joined hands.

Taylor concentrated, gripping Jake's hand tightly as he steadily made his way across the icy wing, slowly leading his friends across. "Keep going..." He called over his shoulder, glancing down to his feet and instantly regretting it. "Don't look down!" He advised, fighting the rising dizziness in his head.

"Taylor's almost got us across!" Raj exclaimed, peering over everyone to see that they'd almost made it to safety. "We're home free!" He cried, just as Taylors feet finally arrived at snow covered stone.

"... We made it!" Taylor cried, his relief striking him like a hammer, as his breath exploded from him in a hysterical giggle. "Get moving!" He called, stepping aside to pull everyone over to the solid ground.  _"Oof!"_  He gasped, as Aleister wrapped him in a tight hug, before collecting himself and pulling away quickly.

 _"Ahem."_  He coughed, clearing his throat as his cheeks flushed pink, Grace quickly reattaching herself to his side. "Erm. Thank you... for refraining from killing us all."

"Seconded!" Lila giggled, as she skipped off the plane wing and onto solid ground.

Taylor looked up at Jake beside him, the pilot still holding his hand tightly and stubbornly refusing to leave without him. They turned at the sound of cracking ice and grating metal, as the tech clad woman's superheated swords, sliced through the last of the far wing. A loud rumble filled the air, as the plane careened into the shadowy abyss. Taylor panted for breath, as gunfire sounded in the air, and bullets began to qhizz through the densely falling snow around them.

"Get  _back_  here!" Fiddler screamed across the chasm, fury bleeding into her voice as she saw them all escaping into the snowy mountains. "Playtime isn't over yet!"

 _"Dammit!"_  Growled the hulking man Taylor had seen in Craig's idol vision, and he grit his teeth together hatefully. "We can't get across!"

Taylor snarled, taking a step closer to the edge, intending to yell something suitably spiteful over to the pair; when he was instead tugged back into a pair of strong arms, and a whiskey scented jacket. "Pick ya battles." Jake growled firmly, turning him away from the chasm roughly and dragging him after the others.

"Now's our chance!" Lila called, pointing ahead through the storm. "We can lose them in the blizzard!"

Taylor followed his friends blindly, his heart and mind churning with a relentless tide of emotions. His heart ached with bitterness and rejection, even as it rejoiced with love and concern. His mind raced with doubt and fear, battling with the relief and gratitude he felt. He found himself led up the other side of the chasm, where they arrived at a wide plateau.

Though it was difficult to see, he managed to discern voices over the wind. "Sean..?  _Anyone..?"_  Michelle called tiredly.

"You guys there..?" Quinn yelled slowly, her fear clear in her tone of voice.  _"Please,_  say something..!"

"Follow my voice!" Varyyn boomed loudly through the blizzard, drawing everyone's attention to his location. "Come to me, Catalysts!"

 _"Varyyn?!"_  Diego called, slightly panicked as he searched for the young Vaanti king. "Where are you?"

Taylor felt Jake squeeze his hand, and gradually, they began to fond their friends. Once they were reassembled as a group, they rejoined hands,and hurried to out distance between themselves and the chasm.

As they walked, Taylor noticed a large crate, poking out of the snow ahead. "Is that..?" He wondered aloud, frowning as he moved closer.

"It must be cargo from the plane!" Grace said in surprise, as Taylor narrowed his eyes as he spotted words printed on the metal box, though there was too much ice to be able to read them. He frowned, using his sleeve of his jacket to brush away the thick layers of snow and ice, revealing bold stamped letters on the side of the box.

 **Mansingh Transglobal Tech**.

"W-what?!" Grace cried, as she caught sight of the bright red letters.

"Grace..." Aleister asked hesitantly, his eyes wide as he too stared at the stamp on the box in surprise. "Isn't that the name of your mothers company?"

"Why would they be sending equipment  _here?"_  She demanded, scowling furiously at the box, as her small hands balled into fists.

"I don't know..." Taylor interjected, glancing at then both placatingly. "But we should keep moving... This storm doesn't look like its going to let up." He said, gently urging them to continue on through the blizzard.

Wandering amid the repetitive white landscape, they inevitably lost track of how much time they'd spent trying to push through the swirling snow. "Uh, guys?" Diego called tiredly, the first sound other than the howling wind they'd heard in an incomprehensible time frame. "There's something over there!" He added, pointing at a strangely welcoming building in the distance.

Taylor squinted at a sign, half buried in the snow just outside. "Elysian... Lodge... Resort..." He said slowly, glancing around the others as they grumbled nervously.

"Another resort?" Sean said, his brow creasing in confusion. "All the way up here?"

"Whatever, its gonna be warm in there!" Taylor called, tugging Jake and Diego's hands as he started towards the lodge. "Can't be any worse than The Celestial!" He huffed, a dry chuckle escaping him as several of the others groaned at the reminder.

"We're... saved..!" Quinn cheered, her teeth chattering as she slowly shivered her way after Taylor.

"Or, so one would hope." Aleister sighed, as he clasped Grace to his side, and followed after them. They trudged their way through the snow, tired and emotionally drained from their harrowing ordeal. As Taylor led them to the doors, Jake pulled one open, and held it aside for everyone to pass through.

Taylor layvhis hands on his knees, catching his breath and releasing his friends, as they stumbled out of the cold to collapse onto the nearest chairs and sofas available in the lobby. He was just pushing himself upright, when a firm hand grasped his wrist, and he was dragged through the adjacent door.  _"Whoa-!"_  He gasped, as Jake slammed the door closed and rounded on him with a furious glare. "Jake, this is-"

"This is  _exactly_  the time. I ain't waiting." The pilot growled, crowding him against the wall, as his expression melted into pained irritation. "Taylor, what the bloody hell  _was_  all that?" He demanded desperately, and Taylor squirmed beneath his gaze, biting his lip guiltily. "What the  _hell_  got into you?"

"It was  _everything!"_  Taylor snapped, shoving Jake backwards enough that he could raise his hands to his brow, gripping his hair as he partially hid his face. "It was that bastard taunting you! It was the way he got into your head and I couldn't get you away! It was you asking me to leave! And-" he bit his tongue sharply, refusing to voice the worst confession _. It was Mike._  He swallowed thickly, his chest heaving as he hiccupped and gasped for breath.

The air was thick with tension around him, his cheeks damp from tears of frustration as he grit his teeth and firmly repeated to himself he wasn't jealous of a dead man. He flinched, his hands lowering from his hair as his eyes raised in surprise, finding jakes fingers hovering uncertainly before his cheek. The pilot slowly repeated the motion which had startled Taylor, gently brushing the wet marls from his cheeks. "Taylor... The amount of times, you've pulled the  _exact same_  shit..." Jake said thickly, shaking his head as he frowned down at him. "I should  _not_  feel this guilty, for tryin' to protect you." He said quietly, and Taylor hung his head with a huff.

"Yeah well, what we  _should_  feel... isn't always what we  _do_  feel..." Taylor hedged, his heart clenching painfully at the guilt he felt. "Besides, I don't need protecting, I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself; you taught me to do that... But-"

"That's  _basic training!"_  Jake cried, gesturing towards the snow storm they'd just marched through. "This is  _Arachnid!_  They're elite military, reserved for the most covert of covert ops that most sane bastards don't want!" He fumed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "If you'd let me go, I would've been able to lead them away, they would've followed me and they'd never have realised that I-" the pilot stopped himself with a fevered groan, turning as he scrubbed a hand over his face tiredly.

"What?" Taylor asked hesitantly, as Jake scoffed and shook his head, his hair falling over his face briefly.

"They're never gonna stop now." Jake said, ignoring Taylors question as he rambled to himself. "You thought it was bad Rourke told 'em to take you alive, that ain't  _nothin'_  compared to the shit they'll do now. Just for fun, just because they know-"

"They know,  _what?"_  Taylor pushed more firmly, as Jake growled and turned to him with such a broken expression, that he felt guilty for the rush of love for the man he felt upon seeing it.

 _"Everything,_  Taylor, they know  _everything!"_  The pilot snarled, turning and kicking the floor in his irritation, before turning back to him again; words spilling from his lips without pause. "They know that I'd do anything for you, they know I care about you, they know that you're  _everything_  to me; and they won't stop til they take it, and they break me." He fumed, growling as he tugged at his hair in frustration.

Taylor swallowed, his gaze falling to the floor as his cheeks flamed with heat, his heart racing at the confession. "Jake, I-" he hesitated, biting his lip as he considered his words carefully. He looked up, to find the pilots turbulent eyes waiting to meet his own. "I was gonna say I was sorry... But, I'm  _not."_  He said, his hand darting forward to catch Jake's jaw, as the man sniffed and moved to turn away in frustration. "I'm not sorry, that they know I'll fight for you. That I won't let them take you, or break you, or whatever the hell else they wanna try and do. I  _won't_  let them. And I won't let  _you,_  do exactly the shit you got mad at me for doing..." He explained, pressing his finger to Jake's lips when he was about to respond. "No more solo suicide missions, right?" He said quickly, and Jake blinked in surprise at the reminder.

"You know right after that, you dove off the highest point of-" Jake began, gently brushing Taylors fingers aside so he could speak.

 _"That_  was not a suicide mission, it was reconnaissance..." Taylor quickly interrupted, his cheeks flushing guiltily.

"What about on the Mojo Train, when you almost killed yourself with whatever-" the pilot tried again, his eyes running over Taylor cautiously.

"That was  _not_  my fault, I was... under the influence. I couldn't control it." Taylor hedged, biting his lip until the pilot looked about to speak again. "Look, the point is I've realised the error of my ways, okay?" He said quickly, his heart hammering as he tried to find the words to explain. "I... I've seen you die, Jake... The same, as you saw me. I charged Varyyn that night, because I saw what would happen and I couldn't... breathe, for the fear I felt... I saw you die. And, a part of me died too." He admitted, as Jake frowned down at him.

"Why didn't you-"

"I've seen nearly everyone die... And it breaks my heart, every single time. But, none so bad as that..." Taylor said quietly, meeting the pilots gaze brokenly. "I assumed it was just, more crazy in my head. And it hurt, so much... I thought if you didn't remember, well... I wasn't gonna put that kind of thing in your head." He said quietly, as Jake's arms rose around him, rubbing in small consoling motions.

"You're an idiot." Jake sighed, leaning back against the door as he pulled Taylor closer. "But I did the same damn thing, so, guess like attracts like..." He muttered, as Taylor chuckled dryly.

They were silent for a long pause, emotions rife in the air around them as they each thought over their actions and reactions. "No more solo suicide missions." Taylor mimbled quietly, looking up to meet the pilots curiously raised brow with a shy grin. "We keep driving each other crazy, trying to go solo... So, let's just not. No more solo suicide missions; we'll fight together, and trust each other to know what we're doing."

"You  _never_  know what you're doing." Jake snarked, his lips twitching as Taylor swatted his arm.

"See,  _that_  is  _not_  a conducive attitude for this relationship." Taylor groused playfully, as blinked, before his gaze finally softened. "What you're supposed to say is; 'Yes, Boy Scout!' And then I can say; 'Good, Top Gun!' And then we..." He trailed off, biting his lip and glancing down at the pilots dog tags uncertainly.

"And then..?" Jake pushed, how finger curling under his chin, forcing him to look back up at him, as he smirked knowingly.

"Don't make me say it." Taylor complained, swatting his arm again as his cheeks stained red. "You make me sound like some god awful rom-com, sappy bulls-"

He fell silent, as Jake's mouth descended to his own, his lips still cold from their journey through the blizzard. Taylors heart raced so fast, he thought it might break free any moment, as the pilot pressed their lips together firmly, but made no move to extend past the chaste touch. As the pilot drew back an inch, his clear eyes grew amused as he ran them over Taylors spaced out expression. "Somethin' like that?" He asked quietly, as Taylor locked his lip and hummed thoughtfully.

"Somethin' like, yeah..." He breathed, as Jake chuckled, about to close the distance again; when he frowned suddenly.

"Wait, what the hell is..?" He asked, drawing back to look around them, as Taylor began to laugh.

"I tried to tell you, when you shut us in here..." He sniggered, stepping back to gesture at the various shelves lined with cleaning supplies. "This isn't a room, it's a storage cupboard..." He chuckled, as Jake scowled around them.

"Well, shit." Jake snorted, scratching his ear in embarrassment. "Guess I wasn't exactly paying attention at the time..." He admitted gruffly, clearing his throat as he turned and found the door handle, hesitating once his hand was on the knob. "I mean, unless you wanna, you know...  _Make up_." He said, sniggering as he glanced over to find Taylor mid-yawn. He rolled his eyes and opened the door, grabbing Taylors hand and leading him out into the lobby.

Their friends were scattered through the room, flopped onto various seats wherever they'd found them. Craig and Raj had merely rolled onto the floor, leaving the corner of a sofa free.

Jake led the way over, collapsing to the seat with a groan, before pulling Taylor into a heap atop him. "No more solo..." The pilot muttered, but as soon as Taylors body finally relaxed, he was swept away by his exhaustion; and the anything further the pilot said was lost to the darkness of sleep.


	11. Every End Is A Beginning... Except The Last One.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This... I am so nervous about this because; the game chapter is so epic and amazing and I love it so much - I don't want to diminish it! (so worried!!!)  
> That said, I have had masses of fun (and hardships) writing it, so... I just hope you enjoy it. There's a big change you'll notice in here - but I hope its a pleasant surprise and not a icky one :p  
> Um... this should have been ready earlier today really - but I fell asleep around 3.30 am today and I kid you not; when I looked - there was a line which read 'his progressive aggression which rebuffed his concubine' and I decided that I should NOT write any more until I was more awake - and then my family decided they wanted to actually SEE me and dragged me out to no internet connection - so I didn't dare try to finish my chapter because my phone has taken to dying randomly lately...
> 
> ANYWAY - THIS IS WAY TOO LONG FOR AN OPENING NOTE!
> 
> LAST THING!  
> Thankyou. Everyone who has commented; you're beautiful and amazing and, there aren't words for what your encouragements and thoughts have meant to me. You've inspired me, and I've been so in awe - I literally cried. Twice. And I thankyou for both <3
> 
> x My love to you all x

_**Dear Jake;** _

_I've had exactly one New Years Eve to celebrate in my, uh... whatever. But, I think I got the best deal in a way... Because, I got to experience it over and over. I guess repeating time loops can be good for something after all..._

_I don't know what your opinion was, but it was sure one of my favourite times we spent together. As a group. As friends. As family._

_As one._

**11.**

**Every End Is A Beginning... Except The Last One.**

Taylor slowly awoke in the Elysian Lodge, morning sunlight filtering into the room through frost covered windows.  _"Nnh..."_  He groaned, dazed and groggy from both his mental and physical exhaustion the previous evening.

He opened his eyes fully, to find himself on a couch. He raised his head slightly, looking down with a faint blush, as he realised he'd slept on Jake's chest. Taylor bit his lip, relishing his chance to see the pilot still asleep. He had one hand tucked behind his head, but his other was wrapped securely around Taylors side. Taylors eyes greedily drank in the sight of the sleeping pilot, usually so easily awoken, but dead to the world in his exhaustion. He reluctantly tore his eyes away from Jake, looking around to see his friends were still deep in sleep.

Raj had at least moved at some point, now sprawled in a recliner; but Craig remained on the floor, curled on a rug, snoring. Aleister was asleep on the hardwood floor, beside a bed of pillows he had made for Grace.

Taylor looked back down at Jake, his pilot utterly peaceful in a way he never was when awake. He stared for far longer than he originally intended, burning the sight into his memory so deeply, he knew any future lifetimes would instantly remember it. He sank closer, but hesitated, biting his lip in confliction, before reluctantly pulling away. He carefully disentangled himself and got to his feet, resting Jake's hand on his stomach gently, before slowly stepping away. With a forlorn sigh, he turned away and walled to the window, peering outside to see that the blizzard had calmed at last.

He wrapped his arms around himself, as memories from the previous day assaulted him, each dragging through his mind painfully slowly. He recalled Lundgren, the smug bastards cocky attitude grating on Taylors nerves still, and he grit his teeth against the rising irritation. He recalled the mechanized soldiers' pursuit, the titan man who at some point in the future would end Craig's life, and he growled quietly; swearing he would never let it come to be. He recalled Fiddler, and her uncanny ability to get under Jake's skin, the pilots hatred of her matched only by his hatred of Lundgren himself.

He recalled the blinding snowfall, and finding the lodge with his friends. Until finally, he remembered his fight with Jake; and the guilty secret he still kept in his heart.  _How do I explain that I'm jealous of a dead guy?_  He wondered, his gut twisting with guilt and self depreciation.  _What am I even jealous of, he told me himself Mike was his best friend; like a brother to him.._. He thought, resting his head against the glass as he tried to understand what his confused heart and head were attempting to communicate.  _But, what if it was more than that..? What if he just didn't tell me because, he knows Mike is gone? What if_ \- he groaned, banging his head against the glass lightly, before glancing behind him guiltily. Once he saw everyone was still soundly asleep, he grabbed his bag and carefully made his way down the hall, searching out a bathroom to freshen himself up.

When he'd relieved his bladder, and had a gloriously hot shower, he chose some fresh clothes; the winter gear too stifling for inside the lodge. He stepped back into the hall in what he liked to call his thrillseeker gear, feeling much improved from when he woke. Firmly throwing all his emotional baggage into a dark corner of his mind, he strolled back towards the others quietly.

"You're up." Zahra's emotionless drawl made him yelp, and she smirked from where she lounged in an armchair, sipping a rich blend of coffee.

"Got any coffee for me?" He asked hopefully, and she peered at him over the rim of her mug with a raised brow, before breaking into a wide grin.

"You're lucky." She said, sniggering and gesturing towards a second mug on a small coffee table beside her chair. "I saved some just for you.  _You're welcome_." She said, as he scurried over to pick up the piping hot cup of mocha. He sighed, perching himself on the edge of the coffee table, as its sweet aroma immediately filled him with energy.

"Would've figured you for a no cream, and no sugar, kinda girl." He said, beaming at her gratefully before taking a careful sip of the hot beverage.

"When you drink as much coffee as I do, variety is  _kinda_  important." She replied, winking at him as she easily drained her mug.

"So, Zahra..." He said, sobering as she set her mug in her lap and glanced over with a raised brow. "Did you get some rest?" He asked, eyeing her still slightly red eyes with concern.

 _"Me?_  Nah." She snorted, shaking her head fondly as she averted her eyes. "I don't sleep much... And when I do, I don't sleep well." She admitted, glancing over with a hint of colour dusting her cheeks. "But thanks for asking... or, whatever..." She mumbled, as Taylor sniggered ar her discomfort.

"Just wanted to make sure you're doing okay." He said, beaming a wide grin at her, as he drank some more of his coffee.

"I'm fine." She said, firmly locking her gaze on her empty mug, as she snorted in amusement. "Being an insomniac does have its benefits." She sniggered, before she sobered considerably, finally looking over to meet his gaze seriously. "I poked around last night, looking for a guest list. I found one. But..." She said hesitantly, but continued at Taylors encouraging nod. "It was all Rourke International employee ID numbers..."

"Whoa, hold on..." Taylor choked, spitting out some of his coffee as he coughed in surprise. "You think Rourke's people had been staying  _here?!"_  He asked incredulously.

"Maybe temporary housing." Zahra said thoughtfully, ignoring Taylors miniature meltdown at the possibility. "Maybe a cover for the massive operation... Who knows with these people?" She scoffed finally, shaking her head in disgust.

Taylor swallowed heavily, trying to absorb the information, as he gazed outside again. He noticed the smooth white hills of virgin snow, which the heavy blizzard had left behind; but along with the beauty, he felt a prickle of fear, wondering what else might be hidden by the fresh snow. "Any sign of those soldiers that were chasing us?" He asked quietly, half afraid to speak the words incase he summoned them.

"Blizzard chased them off." Said a tired voice, and Taylor bit his lip guiltily, turning to see Jake sitting up slowly from their couch. The pilot rubbed his eyes, his hair tousled from the pillows, and Taylor felt such a rush of affection for the man; he was almost choked by it. "I think we're in the clear." The pilot added, before scowling balefully over at Taylor. "Except  _you,_  you owe me a good morning."

Taylor snickered, pushing himself up to return to the couch he'd shared with Jake overnight. He sat beside him, and grinned widely, pressing a kiss to his cheek quickly. Jake frowned at his mischievous smile, and rolled his eyes, snatching the remaining half of his coffee away.  _"Hey!"_  Taylor pouted, fighting a giggle as the pilot downed the drink without thought, and handed him back the empty mug with a proud smirk. "Zahra made that 'specially for  _me!"_  He protested, as Jake sniggered at him, his clear eyes dancing with amusement now he had some fuel to energise himself.

"Shoulda done a proper good morning then, shouldn't ya?" The pilot said, grinning cockily as he raised a brow. "Can share a taste with you, if you want it that bad."

"Is that so?" Taylor laughed, as Jake waggled his brows and leaned closer. "Mighty generous of ya, Top Gun." He said, as Jake snorted and hung his head, giving up on his attempt.

"Urgh, you guys are  _so_  gross." Zahra groaned, deigning retching sounds as she raised a hand to block them from her sight. Taylor looked over at her, a goofy grin on his face as Jake pulled him into his side, leaning against the back of the couch. After giving them a few moments, just in case they might have descended into the level of cute she couldn't stomach to see, Zahra lowered her hand, eyeing Jake curiously. "I've heard whispers of those 'Arachnid' people on the web, man. They're serious." She said, hesitating as she considered, clearly conflicted.  _"You_  were... one of  _them?"_  She finally asked, as Taylor slid his hand into Jake's, watching his pilot carefully as his face fell.

"... Yeah. One of their pilots." Jake confessed, shaking his head as his eyes glazed over, lost in the past which still haunted him. "We were supposed to be helping people... I had no idea what Lundgren was doing behind the scenes."

"Jake..." Taylor murmured, pressing a lingering kiss to the back of the pilots hand, before frowning up at him worriedly. "How the hell did they  _find_  you?" He wondered aloud, running his free hand through Jake's hair, teasing out the knots from his sleep.

"No clue." Jake snorted, shaking his head in blatant disbelief. He sighed, looking first to the ceiling, and then down to where his hand was securely locked within Taylors grasp. "Always figured it was a matter of time..." He admitted quietly, shaking his head as his thumb traced over the back of Taylors hand. "But, I never imagined they'd find me in the middle of all this lunacy." He scoffed.

"Jake, they're out to hurt you. To hurt  _us."_  Taylor said, his brow creasing with concern as Jake met his worried gaze. "We  _have_  to know how they found out about you..."

"Taylors right." Zahra chimed in, firing a finger gun towards Taylor with a wink. "We gotta know how they tracked you. There's no way this was a freak quinky-dink." She said, rolling her eyes when they both stared at her blankly.  _"Coincidence,_  idiots."

"I wish I could tell you." Jake sighed, looking between Taylor and Zahra with dismay.  _"Honest._  But, I've no idea." He said, lowering his tormented gaze to his lap. Taylor stroked his bristly cheek gently, curling closer into the pilots side in a gesture of comfort.

"Damn." Zahra sighed, her fingers toying with the tips of her maroon tinged Mohawk. "And _I_  thought _I_  had enemies."

"Look, I'm sorry they found us." Jake growled, his frustration rising. "I know this is all on me." He sighed, turning towards Taylor with a broken expression. "But I  _ain't_  gonna let them hurt you. I  _swear_  it." He promised passionately, and Taylor felt his heart rate rise at the fierce glimmer in the pilots cerulean eyes. "I  _swear_  it on  _everything."_

"Hey, we protect each other, remember?" Taylor said quietly, shifting himself closer to his pilot, until he was almost sat in his lap. "Also, there's no need to swear on me." He added, successfully drawing a surprised chuckle from the pilot. He frowned, craning his neck and glancing out the window behind them. "Are we safe? For the moment, I mean?"

"This lodge is in the shadow of a ridge." Jake explained thoughtfully, peering out the window himself, before looking back at Taylor, his eyes filled with awe and disbelief combined. "Hard as hell to spot from the air... We can lay low for a couple days, no sweat." He assured, his lips hitching into a tiny grin.

"And, what are we supposed to do for a couple days?" Zahra asked pointedly, groaning when Jake waggled his eyebrows at Taylor suggestively.  _"So_  gross." She muttered darkly, as Taylor laughed and swatted Jake's shoulder.

"I think we should prepare for the journey ahead." Taylor said seriously, though he still grinned widely. "We've still got a long way north to go, to find this 'Lernaean Gate' Iris told us about."

"And it just got a hell of a lot harder, with Arachnid out there." Zahra agreed, staring out the window with eyes narrowed in thought.

"Oughta be somethin' around here that can help us out." Jake said, his lips quirking into a lopsided grin, as his eyes ran over Taylor fondly.

"But, first things first..." Taylor said, winking at Jake as he slowly leaned closer, before quickly sitting up. "Let's wake everybody, and split up to explore the lodge." He said, laughing when Jake growled and tugged him back down against the back of the couch.

"Now see, I had some  _very_  specific ideas where that was leading." Jake said lightly, pouting as he wrapped his arm around Taylors waist securely. "Wakin' the Scooby Gang was  _not_  a part of any of them." He muttered, as Taylor giggled.

"Really? And uh, what plans were they, exactly?" He asked, his fingers walking slowly up the pilots chest to toy with his dog tags.

"Seriously, how can you even stand to be around  _yourselves_  when your this sappy?" Zahra scoffed, scowling at them as Jake groaned and Taylor laughed. "It should be illegal to be that disgusting absorbed in someone else." She snorted, shaking her head at them.

"Come on, Top Gun." Taylor sniggered, patting the pilot on the back briefly before wriggling free of the couch. "Time to get our bearings." He said, as he moved away to start waking the others. He started with Diego, who was curled into an arm chair, his hands tucked delicately beneath his cheek. He considered a moment, before deciding to be generous and wake his friend in a far kinder manner than he potentially could have. "Hey, assbutt. Wake up." He called flatly, shaking Diego's shoulder.

Diego groaned, curling himself into a tighter ball, and Taylor chuckled at his friends sleepy frown. "Come on dude..." He said, shaking him more insistently. "Hey, I can still go back to the cold water head bath method of waking you up..." He sniggered, as Diego reluctantly peeled his eyes open.

"Dude, when did you get so evil..?" He asked grumpily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he glared reproachfully at Taylor. "First winding Jake up, now waking me up... And-"

"There's coffee." Taylor said, grinning when Diego paused thoughtfully.

"I ever tell you, you're my best friend?" He asked suddenly, and Taylor laughed, nudging his shoulder as he stepped away, offering his hand to pull Diego to his feet with a groan.

"Make it yourself," Taylor sniggered. "You always complain when I do it." He said, ruffling Diego's sleep mussed hair.

"You always forget the sugar!" Diego protested, pouting as Taylor rolled his eyes.

"You mean I only add a normal amount of sugar..." Taylor corrected, a lopsided grin forming on his face, as he watched his friend flush red.

"I have a  _normal_  amount of sugar," Diego pouted, folding his arms over his chest and averting his eyes petulantly. "Everything about me is completely normal." He muttered, scowling at Taylor when he burst out laughing.

"I can  _not_  believe you just said that with a straight face!" He gasped, between bouts of laughter, his cheeks hurting from the wide grin he couldn't wipe away. "Dude, you have five sugars;  _five!_  You eat Doritos with chocolate sauce, you  _only_  clean if we have ice cream for when you've finished, you dance to the theme tune of Gladiators re-runs... You have a swear jar!"

"Those are completely normal traits..." Diego sniffed imperiously, before frowning in consternation. "And what's wrong with having a swear jar?!"

"You don't swear!" Taylor cried, sniggering as Diego spread his palms.

"That's because of the power of the swear jar!" Diego exclaimed, though he bit his lip and scratched his beard awkwardly, as a thought occurred to him. "Although, I did swear while we were riding the Tree Sap Train..." He admitted guiltily, as Taylor snorted in disbelief.

"I don't remember that. You're making it up." He said, shaking his head as Diego scowled at him.

"You were too busy getting hot and heavy with Jake! It's all  _your_  fault!" He said accusingly, jabbing a finger into Taylors chest. "Therefore you can pay my five dollar swear jar fee."

 _"What?!"_  Taylor choked, his eyes wide as he ran them over Diego's serious expression. "Why the hell is it so high? Normal people make it something more manageable!"

"And thus; have no incentive to not swear." Diego sneered superiorly, as Taylor snorted. "Besides, this is including your 'being the cause' tax."

"I'm  _not_  giving you five dollars." Taylor said flatly, sniggering as Diego's lips twitched in amusement. "I'll give you a razor though, if you want."

"Wow Taylor, you're so subtle." Diego said, rolling his eyes as he stroked his beard fondly. "You don't like Hidalgo?" He asked, pouting at him sadly.

"Do I even wanna know why you named your beard after a horse?" Taylor asked hesitantly, immediately shaking his head in answer to his own question. "No, I do not. I  _definitely_  do not. That was  _such_  a stupid question..." He conceded, noticing Diego open his mouth to comment further. "If you  _don't_  say whatever you're about to, I'll make your damn coffee." Taylor offered, and Diego grinned victoriously.

"I was just gonna say Jake's behind you, but thanks Taylor!" Diego sniggered, clapping him on the shoulder as he wiped a fake tear from his eye. "You're a true friend." He said, as he stalked off to join the others.

"Yeah, say that again when I forget your five sugars!" Taylor called as he turned after him, smiling when he saw Jake waiting behind him, his arms folded over his chest and his brow raised.

"So, when you said we should wake everyone, what you meant was; you get to come talk to your friend, and I wake everyone else..?" The pilot asked, a slow, predatory smirk forming on his lips, as he stepped closer.

"Well, it wasn't the plan, but now you mention it; thanks, Top Gun!" Taylor sniggered, his heart fluttering, as he watched the pilot take another step towards him.

"Jake, don't make out your some kinda trooper," Zahra snorted, glancing over with a smirk. "You literally clapped your hands while telling everyone to, and I quote; 'Wake up, assholes.'"

Taylor raised a brow, his lips twitching in amusement as Jake shrugged and grinned broadly. "Worked, didn't it?" He said, winking at Taylor as he swatted the pilots shoulder and pushed him back towards the others.

"Hey guys, how are you all feeling?" He asked, laughing when he received several sleepy groans in response. "That good, huh?"

"Somebody make Taylor stop being shiny," Quinn mumbled tiredly, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. "He's too bright..."

Taylor snickered, finding the redhead ridiculously adorable as she proceeded to wake up. "Well, if it helps, there's coffee..." He said, grinning at the collective cry of joy which rose from his friends. "Also, I recommend the steam shower at the end of the hal-" he broke off into a fit of giggles, as Sean and Craig began to run for the door he gestured to, tripping and wrestling each other along the way; only for Raj to slip in ahead of them. "Guys, it's a resort... There's more than one bathroom..." He laughed, as the football players made for the stairs in the same fashion, with Michelle and Quinn darting up ahead of them. "Come on, Snape. Help me with the coffee... please?" He sniggered, making sure to ask rather than tell the prickly girl, who snorted in reply and pushed to her feet.

By the time everyone had returned from their showers, there was an armada of mugs at the ready in the dining room, filled with the richly scented, steaming coffee Zahra had found. Taylor smirked as his friends filtered in, various expressions of bliss on their face, as they grabbed a mug and sat at a large table; where he and Zahra had laid out toasted bagels, bowls of fruit, and some baguettes with various fillings available.

"Wait, Quinn! Don't drink  _that!"_  Taylor yelped suddenly, grabbing for the mug she'd picked up. "Just uh, trust me when I say it's gross." He said, wrinkling his nose as he set the mug aside for Diego.

"Uh, okay..." Quinn said, blinking before shaking her head and choosing a different mug, as she moved towards the table to grab some food. "You're so weird, Taylor." She giggled, unable to see him stick his tongue out in response.

"Well, ain't you a regular little homemaker?" Jake sniggered, leaning against the doorframe to watch him move about the dining room.

"I will have you know there is nothing regular about me." Taylor quipped, winking at the pilot as he picked up a mug and carried it over. "Here's your coffee, sir, tips accepted in the form of kisses." He said sweetly, as Jake snorted and took the mug.

"Hey, this is only half a-" Jake began, frowning down at his half filled mug.

"And in future, you will now remember to not steal my coffee." Taylor sniggered, quickly ducking away when Jake made to grab him.  _"Go,_  eat, refuel." He laughed, as he made his own way over to the table, sitting at the middle of the table, and looking around his friends with a content warmth in his heart. He smiled when Jake sat beside him, his hand grazing his thigh and squeezing, before he dug into the available food eagerly.

Talk around the table was limited, everyone too intent on recharging themselves after the draining events of the day before. There was still laughter however, as Raj and Craig had a baguette sword fight, and Diego was teased for his absurdly sugary coffee. Taylor felt his heart lighten, and he sighed in contentment, as they reached the end of the meal and divided up to search the hotel.

"How 'bout me and Boy Scout check out the upper level, while you-" Jake began, and Taylor snickered at the multiple rolls of the eye he received.

"How 'bout  _no?"_  Michelle said firmly, narrowing her eyes at Taylor.

 _"What?!"_  He yelped, resting a hand on his chest before gesturing towards Jake. "I didn't say a thing!"

"The idea is we actually search this place, not have you disappear the rest of the day like horny teenagers. Besides which, Taylor had plenty enough excitement yesterday. He needs to rest." The blonde said, before taking a delicate bite of a bagel.

"Heh,  _dammmn..."_  Craig guffawed, fist bumping with Zahra as she smirked over at them. "Meech is totally a Pre-Med cock blocker!" He jeered, as Zahra sniggered.

"Yeah, yeah... Laugh it up." Taylor snarked, pouting around the table as his friends all laughed. "Last time I make coffee for any of you guys." He groused, glaring down at his empty mug.

"Come on Taylor, you can come look around with me." Michelle said cheerily, dusting her hands off and pushing up from the table, as Taylor sighed dramatically. He raised his eyes to meet Jake's similarly resigned gaze, and leaned forward to steal a kiss before he left, when Michelle physically dragged him from his seat. "Come on, Taylor!" She exclaimed excitedly, as Taylor quickly dumped his mug on the end of the table.

"But-" he protested, pouting back at his pilot, as the blonde led him back into the lobby. He sighed in resignation, his lips quirking into a small grin despite his melancholy, as Diego and Varyyn joined them by the stairs.

"Up, or down?" Diego asked, as Michelle pondered. Taylor snorted, wiggling his brows as he glanced at Varyyn briefly, successfully making Diego choke and blush.

"And now we're even." Taylor sniggered gleefully, as Michelle swatted him on the arm.

"Come on," she giggled, leading them up the stairs. As they wandered down the hall, laughing and teasing, they were pleasantly surprised, when they stumbled upon a luxurious spa.

 _"Whoa..."_  Taylor whistled slowly, looking around in awe, as he stepped inside. "Fancy!" He said, beaming a wide grin at his friends, as they ran in excitedly.

Michelle made for a massage table at one end of the room, leaning against it as she eagerly browsed a huge assortment of lotions, ointments, and other products in front of her. "Essence of Umber... Puregliss Extract... L'Opale three-X!" she gasped, her wide eyes roving over the shelves excitedly. "I'm officially in  _heaven!"_

"Hey Michelle," he said, a knowing gleam in his eye as he approached behind her. "You taking inventory?" He asked with a snicker.

"Uh, yeah..." She said, jumping guiltily, before breaking into a beautiful smile. "If by 'taking inventory' you mean 'planning to steal all this amazing stuff'!" She giggled, grabbing his wrist and dragging him closer as she gestured at the packed shelves. "I mean, look at it, Taylor!  _Look!"_  She enthused, waving her arms emphatically.

"I'm looking, I'm looking!" He laughed, his eyes crinkling in amusement at her infectious joy, as he raised his hands in placation.

 _"This,"_  she said seriously, pointing to the shelves firmly. "Is a collection of some of the most expensive and high end skincare products; _in the world_!" She gushed, as she picked up a pearl lined clamshell with some fancy Russian writing on it, holding it before Taylors eyes. "This is Karolevya Zolataya Creme!" She said, scowling as Taylors eyes flicked between her and the tub blankly. "It costs five thousand dollars!  _Five thousand!"_  She cried, shoving it into his hands as his jaw dropped.

"For real?!" He choked, staring down at the small tub which barely filled his hand. "What the  _hell_  is in it?  _Gold?!"_  He demanded, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Extracts from super rare Peruvian orchids, ursolic acid, biodynamic grade vanilla..." She explained, as she picked up another tub and unscrewed the lid. "And also, yes! Nanoparticles of gold!" She giggled, beaming at Taylor with a huge and excited grin.

"I had no idea you were so into lotions..." He huffed, leaning forward to sniff the thick lotion when she offered it to him. He could just make out the orchid, beneath the vanilla, and he wrinkled his nose at the light scent; surprised it wasn't more overpowering.

"Hey, everyone's got their vice, right?" She giggled, reapplying the lid to her tub and returning it to the shelf, as she continued to browse. "Some people like fancy wines-

"Like Quinn!" Taylor interrupted, grinning broadly as Michelle blinked in surprise.

"Really?" She asked curiously, humming and smiling as he nodded eagerly. "Good for her. She deserves some good things, after the shitty hand she was dealt... But, still...  _I'm_  all about high quality skincare." She said proudly, selecting an elegant looking jar and dipping one delicate finger in, before applying it to Taylors cheek. "Tell me, that doesn't feel amazing.  _You can't."_  She said smugly, as she massaged it into his skin.

"Wow..." He murmured, as his skin tingled with both hot and cold sensations. "Okay, I could get used to that..." He admitted, rubbing his cheek as the tingling faded to leave the skin feeling strangely sensitive.

Michelle capped the jar, and slipped it into his front pocket with a wink. "There you go. On the house." She giggled, beaming at him joyfully, as she held out her hand for the tub he still held.

"Hell  _no,_  there's three more there!" He yelped, raising it out of her reach. She giggled and rolled her eyes, turning back to the shelves before hesitating and frowning back at him.

 _"Fine,_  but don't be wasting any of those as some weird sex-" she began, narrowing her eyes ar him suspiciously.

 _"Michelle!"_  Taylor cried, his cheeks flaring red at her insinuation. "That was  _not_  my intention!" He groused, slipping the tub into his back pocket.  _"Women!"_  He scoffed, as she winked, and returned to browsing the shelves.

Nearby, he saw Diego and Varyyn were hanging around just outside the steam room, glistening with sweat. "That was  _remarkable!"_  Varyyn exclaimed, his golden eyes round with amazement. "You humans must be  _true_  warriors, to subject yourselves to such grueling conditions for pleasure!"

"I don't think I'll  _ever_  get tired of showing you new things..." Diego snickered, a wide grin on his face as he watched Varyyn's awe filled expression.

Taylor sniggered as he walked over to the pair, who had clearly just emerged from the steam room, judging from the way the feathers on Varyyn's crown sagged soggily. "Enjoying the amenities, fellas?" He asked knowingly, smirking at Diego pointedly, as his friend flushed guiltily.

"It was  _amazing..!"_  Varyyn exclaimed, his excited and awed gaze landing on Taylor. "Diego merely pressed his hand to the wall and steam,  _glorious steam_ , came bursting forth!" He cried joyfully, as Taylor raised a brow at Diego. "I feel quite rejuvenated."

"I bet..." Taylor sniggered, as Diego narrowed his eyes af him suspiciously."You should ask Diego what he can do with his-"

"Ignore him, Varyyn." Diego interrupted, elbowing Taylor in the ribs, hard. "He's just all frustrated 'cause he and Jake haven't been able to-"

"So, Varyyn!" Taylor coughed quickly, nudging Diego's shoulder with his own, and sending him sprawling back into the steam room. "You guys don't have steam rooms in your tree village?" He asked innocently, grinning widely as Diego staggered back to them.

"There are hot springs caverns that are  _similar..."_  The Elyyshar conceded, eyeing them both with a curious frown as they continued to jostle each other playfully. "But, the steam comes from deep within Vaanu itself, not through the walls... And not at our command!" He added in awe, as Taylor winced, a flash of a pain dancing across his mind, before vanishing quickly again.

"Just wait 'til I show him a p-s-four..." Diego said proudly, a cocky smirk on his face, as Taylor distractedly rubbed his brow.

"Now, let us run outside and hurl ourselves in the snow!" Varyyn said eagerly, moving towards the door and snagging Diego's hand as he went.

"Do  _what?!"_  Diego yelped, his eyes widening, as the Elyyshar paused and turned towards him.

"Hot and cold, ice and fire!" Varyyn explained, his eyes alight with keen excitement. "There is no greater way to feel alive!" The Elyyshar declared, as Taylor snorted in disagreement.

"I can name at  _least_  one thing Diego would think was greater-" he sniggered, before Diego cut him off frantically.

"Not helping!" He yelped, before turning back to Varyyn's eagerly waiting expression. "But... I... I mean..." He stammered, before falling silent as Varyyn stretched luxuriously, his taut muscles glistening. Taylor pressed his hand over his mouth, silent tears of laughter coursing down his cheeks as Diego shook his head and swallowed heavily. "The things I do..." His friend sighed, allowing Varyyn to lead him away with a small, faraway grin.

"Have fun out there, buddy!" Taylor called, giggling wildly as he watched the pair race toward the exit.

Diego glanced back with a wink, his eyes glittering with desire and amusement. "I will." He said with a snicker of his own, before disappearing into the hallway.

Taylor laughed, shaking his head at the pair. He glanced at Michelle, to find her still absorbed in her search of skincare products, and with a ro of his eyes, he decided to continue the search on his own.

He wandered into the hallway, roaming idly as he peeked into rooms and explored the lodge at a leisurely pace. As he peeked into one room, which turns dour to be a small office, he discovered Estela; who was angrily combing through stacks of paper. "Come on, come on..." She growled in blatant frustration, slamming her hands on the desk before brushing her bangs back from her face in irritation. "It's got to be here somewhere..."

"You, uh... Looking for something?" Taylor asked, after a moments consideration. He immediately laughed, when she jumped in surprise, almost hitting her head on the shelf over the desk as she rapidly straightened.

"Oh!" She gasped, turning towards the doorway guiltily.  _"Taylor!"_  She yelped, scratching behind her ear awkwardly.

"Whoa, did I  _actually_  manage to sneak up on you?" He sniggered, grinning at her broadly, as he leaned against the doorframe and folded his arms over his chest. "Either I'm really  _that_  awesome, or you really  _must_  be distracted!"

"You're pilot is a-" Estela began, scowling at his smug expression.

"Bad influence, yeah I know..." He snickered fondly, his fingers trailing unconsciously to the fading mark Jake had left on his throat. "So come on, what is it?" He asked, tipping his chin to the papers she'd been rifling through.

"I'm just looking for... I..." She stammered, before sighing heavily in defeat and slumping down into a chair, looking unusually vulnerable as she stared down at her feet. "It's complicated..." She hedged.

"Hi, my names Taylor; I am the physical embodiment of complicated." He snorted, pleased when he saw her lips twitch with amusement. He walked over, reaching out to take her hand as he crouched before her, and gave it a gentle squeeze as he sobered himself. "You can tell me. Whatever it is." He said quietly, the shift in his mood obvious, by his serious gaze.

"I know I  _can_  tell you anything, Taylor..." Estela confessed quietly, squirming awkwardly in her seat, as she glanced up at him briefly. "Doesn't make it any less hard." She said with a sigh, squeezing his hand with one hand, as she reached over and grabbed a paper from the stack with the other.

Taylor took the page with a faint frown, reading through quickly to find it was a long list of names. "What is this..?" He asked slowly, looking up at her in confusion.

"I was looking through the office, to see if there was anything helpful... and I found this." Estela confessed, eyeing the paper with an expression torn between longing and nervousness. "Rourke International personnel records. All the employees who stayed here..." She said quietly, trailing off as she bit her lip.

 _"And..?"_  Taylor pressed gently, squeezing her hand in encouragement as she took a deep breath. She hesitantly reached over and tapped a name halfway down the list.

Taylor looked down at the list to find her finger, and read the name she pointed to. "Olivia Montoya?!" He gasped, looking up at her nervous expression with wide eyes. "Estela..." He murmured, dropping the paper and taking her hand in both of his own.

"Yeah..." She sighed, averting her gaze as she drew back her hands, fiddling with her sleeve in awkward discomfort. "My mother."

"Your... mother. She worked..?" He pressed, his brows furrowing in confusion.

"Yes. She worked here, on the island... For Rourke." She admitted, as Taylor smoothed his face into something more sympathetic. "A senior researcher..." She added shakily, swallowing as she briefly looked at the ceiling before steeling her nerve, and meeting his gaze determinedly. "Children weren't allowed, so I stayed with my uncle in San Trobida and helped with... Uh, the family business." She trailed off uncertainly, glancing away as she bit her lip.

"Saving people?" Taylor teased with a grin, sensing her reluctance to go into detail about her family. "Hunting things?"

Estela giggled, quickly covering her mouth to hide the reaction. She returned her gaze to his own, her reluctance melting away at his lack of pressure. "Killing dictators..." She said at long last.

"Um..." Taylor balked, blinking blankly as he absorbed her confession. "So... no cool Chevrolet..?" He asked, and she snorted at his faux frown, grabbing his hand and squeezing it gratefully.

"Anyway..." She said firmly, ignoring his insertion to her explanation, and he turned serious once more. "My mother would send letters once a week. Telling me what she was doing... Telling me she loved me..." She said, a soft smile curling her lips as she recalled the days of her past which she cherished. Her expression clouded suddenly, darkening as her hands curled into balls within his. "Her last letter came six years ago. It was messy; handwritten." She said, her tone clipped and hard, like her eyes. "She said she'd discovered something... something very dangerous. And a week later, she was dead. 'An accident'." She said, snorting derisively.

 _"That's_  why you beat the crap outta Rourke... You think  _he_  did it." Taylor said, piecing together the puzzle that made Estela's mysterious past.

"I  _know_  Rourke did it. I  _swore_  revenge." Estela growled, gritting her teeth together in her agitation. "When I learned that Rourke had a son, studying at Hartfeld under a false name, I enrolled to find him. And when I won this contest to come here, and meet him... I couldn't  _believe_  my luck." She said, huffing a half hysterical laugh, as she shook her head in disbelief. "But it wasn't luck after all." She muttered, nodding at the piece of paper Taylor had let drift to the floor. "She was  _here,_  Taylor. Somewhere in this lodge... If I can just figure out what room she was staying in..!" She growled in frustration, eyeing the stack of papers on the desk forlornly.

"You're looking for something to remember her by." He said gently, as realisation dawned, his face morphing into a compassionate smile.

"In a way... yeah..." She said hesitantly, frowning as her uncertainty cleared, and she gave a small nod. "I guess I am... I know, there'll be nothing left of her there." She said quickly, anticipating a protestation he hadn't even thought to give. "I'm sure Rourke cleaned it up, and threw out all of her possessions. I just thought... If I could find her room... I'd feel some sort of, trace of her." She said, her eyes glistening with tears she was too proud to allow to fall. "To be in the same room as she'd been in... to feel some hint, of her presence..."

"Estela, Estela... It's okay...  _Breathe..."_  Taylor said quickly, cutting off the dark haired girls hiccupping sobs, as he set his hands on her shoulders and forced her to meet his eyes. "I get it, Estela." He reassured, but she immediately began shaking her head.

"Never mind." She said, attempting to force her emotions aside. "I'm being stupid." She said firmly, scoffing at herself as she wiped her eyes forcefully.

"No. You're  _not."_  Taylor said determinedly, shaking her shoulders slightly to emphasize his sincerity. "Estela it is  _never_  stupid, to love your family... It is  _never_  stupid, to feel lost without them. And  _you_  are  _not_  stupid, for wanting to find a piece of your mother to keep with you..." He said, raising his hands to her cheeks and brushing his thumb beneath her watering eyes. "Don't think like that Estela. You're far from stupid... Just human. Now come on, I'm here to help. So; where do we start?" He said, patting her cheeks and hopping to his feet as he looked around the office.

"Taylor... Thankyou-" Estela said quietly, pushing to her feet with a tired sigh.

"Why do I feel like there's a massive 'but' coming up..?" Taylor complained, leaning against the desk as she huffed and reluctantly smiled at him.

"But..." She said pointedly, slapping his arm with more force than Taylor believed was strictly necessary for a playful gesture. "Right now... I think, I want to be alone." She finally admitted, wrapping her arms around herself, as if she was suddenly cold.

"Okay, okay... I can take a hint." He sighed dramatically, moving towards the door reluctantly.

"I  _literally_  just told you-"

"Estela," Taylor sniggered, turning to throw his arms around her quickly. "Don't ever change, okay?" He said, as he backed out the doorway, saluting her briefly, before leaving her to ransack the office at her own leisure.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he considered Estela's mother, and Aleister's; both having discovered something, and both mysteriously dead before they could escape the consequences of knowing what they shouldn't.  _Aleister's mother, Imogen; an accident. Estela's mother, Olivia; an accident. Hardly difficult to pick up on the similarities between them there_... He thought, sighing heavily as he pondered the possibility that the events were unrelated, before dismissing the idea with a snort.  _Everything **always**  comes back to Rourke; this is no different. Smug bastard, playing god_... He thought, his hands unconsciously balling into fists as his hatred for Rourke flared.

He wandered through the lodge's hallways, lost in his dark machinations of making Rourke pay for the misery he'd caused his friends, when he was distracted by the sound of laughter just behind him. He turned, blinking in surprise, and walked back to an ajar door, where he heard two voices laughing inside. He peeked into the room, to see Craig and Zahra hunkered around the TV set, looking for something.

"Come on, come on..." Zahra grumbled, as Craig sniggered at her impatience. "The cable's got to be here somewhere..."

"Can't you just make our own cable?" The jock asked, jabbing her in the side playfully. "You know, with your badass tech skills?" He added, a huge grin plastered across his face as he watched her work.

"Dude, I'm a  _hacker!"_  Zahra scoffed, laughing as she shook her head at him fondly. "Not a hardware store!"

Taylor grinned, sniggering at them as he nudged the door open and leaned against the doorframe, eyeing them suspiciously. "What's going on in here?" He asked, tipping his chin to Craig in acknowledgment, when the jock looked over at him.

"Check out what we found!" He called excitedly, gesturing to something hidden behind them both. Taylor shrugged away from the door, skipping into the room with a grin and launching himself onto the bed. He sniggered as he wiggled to hang off the end, leaning over their shoulders as Craig reached beneath the TV and held up a blocky, gray videogame console.

"Oh,  _cool_  dudes!" He gushed, eyeing the console blankly. He looked up at them with confused excitement in his eyes. "What am I looking at?" He asked flatly, as they both sniggered at him.

"An original GameGen, thirty two bit!" Craig explained smugly, as Taylors eyes widened in surprise at his geek-ish joy. "With, like, twenty five cartridges!"

"Uh..." Taylor hummed, his eyes flicking between the two and their gleeful find. "Just, pretend I don't know what that is... for a second-"

"Yeah, right, sure..." Zahra sniggered, as she rummaged around beneath the TV for the cable.  _"Pretend."_

"I sense sarcasm." Taylor commented snidely, narrowing his eyes at her suspiciously, before yelping, as Craig laughed and nudged his shoulder hard enough to roll him off the bed.  _"Hey!"_

Zahra sat up to point and laugh at Taylor, who pouted as he pushed himself upright with a sniff. "It's just the  _best_  gaming system of our youth!" She finally explained, as Taylor shook his head, his stomach hollowing as he thought back; and came up blank.

"Huh," he hummed awkwardly, shifting his weight as he got to his feet and glanced at the console uncertainly. "I guess... I must've missed it."

"Then  _you_  were the saddest kid on the planet." Zahra snorted, and Taylor laughed despite himself, pushing aside his discomfort with the help of Zahra's teasing.

"Zahra brought hers to college!" Craig explained excitedly, his eyes falling to Zahra as she once again, began to root through the underneath cabinet of the TV for the cable they needed. "We used to play it  _all_  the time our freshman year!" He remembered fondly, grinning broadly.

"If by 'play' you mean; me kicking your ass constantly." Zahra sniggered from beneath the TV, and Craig raised his hand to playfully slap her ass, before wisely reconsidering at the last moment.

 _"Ahem..._  Heh." He coughed, glancing at Taylor sheepishly,before pressing on. "We were thinking we could set it up... Maybe," the jock hesitated, appearing strangely vulnerable as he looked at Zahra longingly. "Relive some memories..." He said, uncharacteristically softly. He quickly cleared his throat and looked away, rubbing his neck guiltily as Zahra reemerged from beneath the TV with a sigh, his face fell slightly. "Problem is, we can't find the video cable." He said gruffly, pointedly ignoring Taylors silent amusement.

"Yeah," Zahra confirmed with a downcast expression of her own. "And, I don't think we're gonna..." She said, sighing dejectedly as she pushed to her feet. "Whatever." She muttered darkly. "Standing around here is getting boring. I'm gonna go make some more coffee." She said dismissively, turning away from them to hide her face.

 _"Wait!"_  Craig called suddenly, his desperation clear in his wide eyes, as he gazed after her. "We just... need a fresh pair of eyes, is all!  _Taylor!"_  He said pleadingly, scrambling to his feet to block Zahra's exit. "Maybe you could help us look?!" He asked, his expression almost frantic as he met Taylors gaze.

 _"Hmmm..."_  Taylor hummed, drawing out the jocks torture for a moment, before dissolving into giggles. "Come on, lets get you connected." He said, frowning thoughtfully as Craig and Zahra looked around the TV some more. "Hmm, let's see..." He mumbled, as he looked through the bedside drawers. When they came up empty, he knelt beside the bed, and bent to look underneath. "Hey, I see something!" He called, grimacing with effort, as he stretched out to brush his fingers against a thin gray cable. "Haha, victory is mi-" his cheer broke off suddenly, upon dragging the cable out to reveal a faded scrap of paper covered in dust, entangled in its coils. "Is that a... newspaper clipping?" He wondered aloud, frowning as he snagged the piece of paper and carefully unfolded it.

**_May eighth, nineteen ninety four._ **

_Tragedy struck the Queens neighborhood of Bayside early morning, when a drunk driver sped through a red light, plunging head on into a minivan. The accident killed the driver of the minivan, Arjun Sethi; thirty two, along with his wife Subhanu, and two children in the back. The only survivor, was their four year old daughter, who is currently in critical-_

Taylor frowned, staring at the strangely straight break in the page, where the article suddenly cut off. He ran his finger over the edge of the clipping, his head itching with the beginnings of a memory, but was distracted by Craig's loud gasp.

 _"Whoa!_  Taylor!" He cried, staring down at the gray wire in his hand. "Is that the cable?!" He cheered, his eyes wide in excitement.

"Looks like it!" Taylor laughed, forgetting about the strange clipping, as he tucked it into his back pocket, and shuffled forward to hand the wire over to Craig. The jock grabbed it eagerly, rushing over to the TV, and quickly plugging it into the console.

"It works!" The jock cheered ecstatically, practically bouncing with joy as he beamed over at Taylor gratefully. " _It works!_ "

"I can honestly say, I've never been happier in my life." Zahra said flatly, though her broad grin and affectionate bump to Taylors shoulder, belied her true feelings. With a peppy chiptune beat, the GameGen logo appeared on the screen, at which point Craig and Zahra exchanged an excited high five.

 _"Yessssss!"_  Craig cheered, his eyes dancing with merriment, as he grabbed the box of game cartridges.

"You do the honours, Taylor." Zahra said proudly, jostling the box to make the cartridges rattle together. "What game should we start with?" She asked, as Taylor peeked inside the box.

"Um..." He hummed, reaching in to rifle through the available games. He caught sight of one with a huge name, and the word 'Legend' and decided it had to be a good one. "I have no idea how to pronounce this so, I'm gonna preemptively tell you both to shut up..."

"Hahaha," Craig guffawed, slapping Taylor on the back with more force than he intended. "Whoops, sorry dude... But bro, you sounded just like Jake."

"Hmm, he has a habit of rubbing off on me..." Taylor admitted goofily, as Zahra snorted and rolled her eyes, a predatory grin forming on her lips.

"Yeah, I bet that's not all he rubs off on-" she began, cackling when he hastily cut her off.

"Okay, the game!" He siad loudly, clearing his throat as he squinted at the title. "'Aeternum Chronicles: Legend of the seven Crystals'." He read aloud, only for Zahra to gasp and snatch the cartridge from his fingers.

"Aw man, isn't that one of those boring RPGs..?" Craig sighed, shaking his head sadly at Taylor for his choice.

"Uh, if by 'boring RPG' you mean; underrated masterpiece that advanced interactive storytelling by a decade?!" Zahra contradicted in a rush, clearly excited by the discover.

"That's pretty much what I meant, yeah." Craig sniggered, watching as Zahra popped the game in. Moments later, Taylor and Craig watched in awe as Zahra played, their eyes glued to the screen as she masterfully raced through screens.

 _"Whoa..."_  Taylor gasped, his eyes wide as he turned to Zahra in surprise. "So, Garryn and Prince Deathshadow; were childhood friends?!" He asked, slowly shaking his head in disbelief.

"He ditched his best bro for power and glory?" Craig said sadly, hanging his head in shame for the character. "That's messed up."

"Just wait 'til we get tl the Wasteland Temple." Zahra said smugly, an enormous grin on her face as she blasted her way through enemies, her eyes never leaving the screen for a second. "There's a twist that'll  _blow your minds._ "

Taylor laughed at her dedication, propping his head on his hand, as he lay on the floor, stretched out on his stomach. "How long  _is_  this game anyway?" He asked with a grin, his gaze flicking to the screen to see Zahra accepting a new quest.

"A hundred and fifty hours." Zahra replied distractedly, mashing buttons quickly as she scowled at a strong enemy, before grinning in victory as she finally killed them. "But, that's if you don't do the side quests!" She added thoughtfully.

"I've got another ten minutes in me,  _tops."_  Craig said, paling at the thought of so many hours facing a single game.

Taylor considered briefly, before swallowing heavily, the tiny characters suddenly seeming to mock his eyes.  _"Same."_  He said, as Zahra snorted in amusement.

 _"Wimps."_  She snickered, as she purposely let her character die. "Okay, Craiggers...  _Load. It. Up."_  She said, throwing him a wicked smirk as he fist pumped the air and cheered, immediately rummaging through the box of cartridges. He snatched the old game from the console eagerly, before all but slamming another in its place.

As the game loaded, Zahra leaned closer to Taylor and stage whispered to him. "This was our favourite in college... You can watch me kick Craig's ass." She said confidently, as Craig snorted and Taylor giggled. He looked up at the screen, just in time to see the title pop up; Deadly Bloodsport.

The two clambered onto the bed, playing side by side as they jostled each other and laughed. Taylor watched from the floor, admiring the way they seemed to have finally got past their issues. His thoughts darkened for a moment, turning to his own internal conflict over his jealousy of Mike, but he pushed it aside firmly, not wanting to deal with it when his friends were so obviously happy.

"Oh come on," Craig laughed, leaning to one side as he mashed buttons with his large fingers. "You trying that harpoon trick shizz on me?" He demanded, snorting as he deftly dodged the attack. "Don't you know, I'm the king of counters?!" He chuckled, his face lit with child like glee.

"Harpoon's just a decoy..." Zahra admitted smugly, grinning broadly as she launched a second attack right after her first.  _"Eat shuriken_!"

Taylor felt the smile blossom across his face, as he continued to watch them play, and he wondered if they even remembered he was there.  _Welp, my work here is done._  He thought, silently rolling away from the bed into a crouch.  _I'll leave them to it_. He thought, quietly puching to his feet and heading for the door. He glanced back, as the competitive banter only escalated.

"No _no no no!_ " Craig demanded, desperately smashing buttons. "Do  _not_  get that ult off!"

"What, you mean...  _this_  ult?" Zahra sniggered smugly, as she completed a long and complicated sequence of buttons.

"Dodged it!  _Dodged it!"_  Craig cheered desperately, though his eyes remained wide as he quickly tried to counter attack. "And now for the follow up..!"

"Good luck with that..." Zahra said, smirking as she leaned closer to the jock. "Because, I know your  _one_  weak spot!" She whispered, before tickling Craig just under his ribs.

"No fair! _No fair_!" Craig cried, wobbling as he flailed his arms, before tumbling off the side of the bed entirely. In a last ditch attempt to win, he grabbed Zahra's collar as he fell, pulling her over with him.

 _"Ahh!"_  Zahra gasped, as Craig landed on his back, and she tumbled onto him, his arms rising around her waist to keep her from falling off. Taylor flushed guiltily, sure he should have already turned away, but desperately urging them to take the final step.

Panting, the two looked at each other, their faces inches apart, as Craig broke into a soft but cocky grin. "Hey..."

"Yeah?" Zahra asked quietly, her eyes darting over his open expression guardedly.

Craig hesitated a moment, before squeezing her waist slightly and smiling up at her. "... I missed you, player two."

"You've gotta be kidding." Zahra snorted, her guarded expression fading as she grinned down at him. "Everyone knows you're my player two." She sniggered, barely catching the way Craig's breath caught at her words. Her gaze softened, as her cheeks darkened. "But, uh, yeah... I guess, I missed you too." She admitted quietly, leaning forward as he leaned up. Their foreheads collided, and whatever moment they'd been about to share was lost, as they both burst out laughing. "Ow! I forgot how hard your skull is." Zahra sniggered, as she climbed off him and pulled him to his feet. As they reset the game, Taylor grinned and shook his head, stepping into the hallway, and closing the door behind him.

He wandered aimlessly down the hallways, and eventually descended down the stairs, returning to the first floor. He glanced both ways, debating his direction briefly, before shrugging and rounding the nearest corner. He burst out laughing when the first thing he saw was a casino, immediately knowing what he would find inside. He shook his head fondly, and headed inside. A wide grin erupted onto his face, when at a large round table, at the far end of the room; he found Grace, Aleister, Sean and Jake all sat together, playing a game of poker.

"So,  _this_  is your idea of searching for things that might help us?" He asked, folding his arms over his chest as Jake merely threw him a cocky wink in reply. Taylor eyed his large pile of chips and laughed, nodding towards them as he walked over. "Settling in, I see?"

"It's not every day you stumble onto a full blown casino..!" Grace giggled, carefully hiding her cards against her chest.

"Wonder if Rourke wanted to finance his global domination, by turning this place into Island Vegas..." Sean said, shaking his head as he grinned broadly, and tossed some more chips into the pile at the middle of the table.

"What do you say, Boy Scout?" Jake asked, grinning smugly at him. "You in?" He asked, raising a brow as he ran his eyes over him suggestively.

"Just tell me you're not playing strip poker..." Taylor sniggered, walking over to lean on the back of Jake's chair, as the pilot smirked.

"Naw..." He said, leaning back slightly, as his eyes danced with mischievous glee. "I'm saving that for  _you,_  later tonight." He said lowly, his gaze smoldering with intent. Taylor shivered as he bit his lip, an intense coil of desire sitting heavy in his gut, as his gaze met Jake's excitedly.

"Aleister was just walking us through his strategy!" Grace said, making Taylor start guiltily, and he felt his cheeks burn with heat as he tore himself away from the pilots consuming gaze.

 _"Ahem..."_  Taylor coughed, clearing his throat as he tried to reign in his rapidly heating body, and looked over at the pale boy curiously. "Never had you pegged as the gambling type, Aleister."

"I'll admit, it's a bit of a vice..." Aleister confessed with a chuckle, tipping his head in acknowledgment. "But, I've always been drawn to games of probability."

"Little sneak's a card counter." Jake complained, and Taylor laughed at the pilots miserable pout.

"A really good one!" Grace said proudly, beaming up at Aleister, as the pale boy blushed under her attention.

"Aw, is the bad Aleister making you play honestly?" Taylor teased, sniggering when the pilots eyes narrowed up at him, his lips twitching in amusement.

"I can still take everyone here, for everything they've got." Jake snorted confidently, shifting his cards in his hand with calculated gestures.

"Speaking of which..." Aleister said pointedly, purposely drawing their attention away from each other again. "I'm out on this hand. I've got absolutely nothing."

"Me too..." Grace admitted, laying her cards face down on the table and leaning against Aleister's side.

"That just leaves you and me, Heisman." Jake said, grinning cockily over at Sean. "Ready to tango?" He asked, as Taylor sniggered at his obvious smugness.

"I'm  _always_  ready." Sean said firmly, beaming a wide grin across the table.

"Good lord, just get a room already." Aleister said dryly, as Taylor threw a wink to the pale boy.

"I think that's  _on the cards_  for later..." He sniggered, as Jake groaned and shook his head. His face fell serious though as he glanced over at Sean with a pout. "And you're  _so_  not invited, dude..." He groused, as the pilot barked a surprised laugh.

Still sniggering to himself, Jake slid his chips into the middle. "I'm all in." He said cockily, glancing up at Taylor meaningfully, who grinned widely in response.

"Damn... big move..." Sean sighed, his gaze falling to his cards in contemplation.

"Only kind of move I make." Jake said, winking at the athlete as Taylor giggled behind him.

"I confirm that comment." Taylor said smugly, winking at Jake when he scoffed and looked back at him with a fond grin.

"Well, what do you think, Taylor?" Sean asked, his confliction evident in his torn expression. "Should I call?"

Taylor leaned around Jake, eyeing him suspiciously as the pilot grinned back at him, winking knowingly. "Hmm, I say..." He said, hesitating to consider the pilots too cocky expression. "Fold, dude,  _definitely_  fold." He snickered, as Jake shook with silent sniggers of his own.

"You sure?" Sean asked, his brow furrowing as he glanced back at his cards. "I think he's bluffing..."

"Oh, he might be..." Taylor laughed, grinning down at Jake fondly as he toyed with a strand of his long hair. "But, if you call now, and he wins, you'll  _never_  hear the end of it."

"Damn... good point..." Sean said, sighing as he shook his head in defeat.

"You know me too well, Boy Scout." Jake said, beaming a giant grin up at him, as Taylor sniggered.

"Damn right, I do." He said quietly, his heart swelling with affection, as Sean finally slapped his cards onto the table; face down.

"I fold." The athlete said reluctantly, as Jake chuckled darkly, leaning over to collect his mountain of chips from the middle. "Yeah, that felt like the safe choice..." Sean said, nodding his head as if trying to convince himself.

"Maybe..." Jake said smugly, a sly grin blossoming on his face as he slowly separated his chips. "But now, you gotta live your whole life with the question..." He said leadingly, the rest of his words hovering at the tip of his tongue as he glanced over at the tense athlete.

"What question?" Sean demanded, as his eyes widened, uncertainty clouding his gaze.

Jake's grin turned wolfish, his eyes flashing with victory as he snickered. "...  _Was_  I bluffing?" He whispered gleefully, laughing when Taylor swatted his shoulder.

 _"Urgh..."_  Sean groaned, propping his elbows on the table so he could rest his head in his hands. "I shoulda called."

"Yeah..." Jake sniggered, winking up at Taylor proudly. "You  _shoulda."_  He said, laughing at the athletes dejection.

At that moment, the doors to the casino swung open, and they all turned to see Raj rushing in.  _"Everyone!_  Stop  _everything!"_  The large boy cried urgently, his eyes wide as he looked around them all. "I've discovered something  _incredibly_  important!"

"A way to get the  _hell_  outta here?" Jake asked, his eyes widening, as Taylor winced at his hope to leave the island.

"How to find my fathers facility?" Aleister demanded, staring at Raj in combined hope and fear.

"The true nature of this island, and possibly  _reality itself?"_  Grace gasped, her hands clasping before her eagerly, as Taylor snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Okay... I'm realizing now, that we  _may_  have different definitions of the term 'important'..." Raj said, his face falling guiltily under the scrutiny of the others.

Taylor began laughing as understanding dawned, and everyone quickly turned to look at him in surprise for his sudden outburst. "This is about  _partying,_  isn't it?" He asked, beaming a wide and knowing grin at the large boy.

 _"Dude!"_  Raj cheered, fist bumping him with relish as someone understood him. "Dudettes. Dudelings. Doodlejumps." He addressed the others, his excited grin only growing larger as he looked around at each other them. "Do  _any_  of you realize what day it is?"

"Uh..." Sean hedged uncertainly, glancing at the others, who all shrugged in incomprehension. "Sometime in December, right?" He offered hesitantly, trying to remember what Iris had told them when they reappeared through the portal.

"If it was July sixth..." Grace calculated, already way ahead of the athlete. "And we lost two hundred and four days, plus four days since...  _Oh!"_  She gasped, her face breaking out in an excited grin. "It's  _New Years Eve!_ "

"It's New Ye-" Raj began to cheer, only for his face to fall halfway through. "Aw man, Grace beat me to it..."

"Wow..." Sean gasped, his eyes widening in surprise, as he flopped back in his chair.  _"Seriously?"_  He asked, his brows furrowing in contemplation.

"Sean..?" Taylor called, straightening from where he'd been leaning against Jake's chair, as he frowned over at the sports star. "What is it?" He asked worriedly, concerned for his friend as he felt the pain beneath the other boys failing bravado.

"I just..." The athlete hesitated, swallowing heavily as he glanced up at everyone. "I guess it hadn't hit me. We've really been gone for six months guys, and, it might have passed in a blink for  _us_  but... our  _families..._  They have no idea where we are. This'll be the first New Years I haven't spent with my mom..." He admitted awkwardly, as the group fell into a contemplative silence.

Taylor felt his heart tugging for his friends, as they turned lost gazes to each other. He took a step back, unable to sympathize with them over their feelings, having no family spring to his mind; except for the one he had been living with, ever since arriving on La Huerta with them.

"Heh... Been awhile since I've shared New Years with  _anyone."_  Jake admitted quietly, toying idly with a poker chip. "My folks... My sister... They'll be dancin' all night." He said, a small, broken smile forming on his lips. "Been a long time since I could watch 'em."

"You never joined in?" Taylor asked, resting his hand on the pilots shoulder comfortingly.

"Nah," Jake snorted, glancing up with a faint trace of his usual humour. "I don't dance." He said, reaching up to squeeze Taylors hand appreciatively.

"My mom will be hosting a party for her entire client list tonight." Grace said, peeking up at them all shyly, befor elooking back to the table. "She probably hasn't actually  _noticed,_  that I never came home yet..." She confessed quietly, her eyes glittering with tears behind her glasses.

"She  _has."_  Taylor said firmly, beating Aleister to the punch. "There's no way in hell she hasn't, Grace... It's  _impossible_  not to notice someone so brilliant and bright." He said, pausing briefly before adding quietly. "And I mean that in a literal, like, 'you glow' kinda way, not just, like... You know, academically or-"

"Quit while ya ahead, Boy Scout." Jake sniggered, patting his hand fondly, as Grace giggled at the sight of his crimson cheeks.

"Thank you, Taylor." She said lightly, her eyes crinkling with shy joy. "I appreciate the attempt." She giggled, as Taylor turned away and pouted at the wall in embarrassment.

For a long pause they were all silent, lost in their own thoughts about their families, or lack thereof; until finally, Aleister spoke. "How strange..." He said thoughtfully, tactfully changing the subject away from families. "If we skipped six months, I suppose I missed a birthday..." He hummed thoughtfully.

"We missed your birthday?!" Grace cried, a huge smile lighting her face, as she turned towards him. "I forgot to give you a birthday present!" She said, before throwing her arms around him and squeezing tightly.

"Oh!" Aleister gasped, blushing most noticeably as the dark skinned girl drew back again.

"I'm sorry I didnt get you a gift!" She giggled, looking up at him with a joyful smile.

"To be frank-" Aleister began, only for Taylor to cut him off with a snort of amusement.

"Nah, don't be him; he's  _boring!"_  He snickered, only laughing harder at the confused expressions around him.

 _"Ahem..."_  Aleister said, clearing his throat and pointedly ignoring Taylors interjection. "I believe, that was the  _best_  gift I've gotten in... as long as I can remember." He admitted, smiling down at Grace with a softness most unlike his usual sternness.

"I bet a bunch of us missed our B-days!" Raj cheered, jumping on the cheerier topic eagerly. "I know I didn't get to rage for mine! And that means; there's only  _one_  thing we can do..."

"Accept that time is largely a superficial construct?" Aleister offered, sounding hopeful.

"Nah, dude!" Raj scoffed, a huge grin spreading across his face as he threw his arms in the air. "We throw the  _mother_  of all New Years parties, and celebrate  _every_  birthday we missed, at once!" He cheered.

Aleister looked about to retort scathingly, when Grace giggled, and he looked sideways in surprise to find her staring at Raj excitedly. "Hooray!" She gasped, clapping her hands together delightedly. "Let's  _do_  it!"

"I'm in." Sean agreed, perking as he focused his attention onto the welcome distraction.

"Tonight; midnight." Raj promised, his excitement palpable as it grew in the air around them. "Champagne. Dancing." He said, as Taylor nudged Jake playfully, his lips curving as he waggled his brows suggestively, much to the pilots obvious amusement. "Food. Music. And... A  _special_  surprise!"

Taylor laughed quietly, looking over at Raj fondly, as Jake squeezed his hand. "You really  _live_  for this, don't you?" He asked, smiling at the large boy as he winked and spread his arms wide.

"Every second of every day!" He said, laughing as he raced over and began giving orders. "Sean, Jake; you're on the furniture moving squad. Taylor, Grace; I need you guys helping to decorate. Decorations are in the lobby." He added with a meaningful wink. "Quinn's already agreed to help me cook, and Craig is gonna help me set up the surprise for the end of the night. Oh, and Aleister, dude; I need you to help Michelle sort out the entertainment!"

"Wow, you really do think of  _everything,_  don't you?" Grace giggled, as she got up from her chair and hurried over to Taylor. "Where do we start?" She asked eagerly, as Taylor watched Jake rise from his chair with a sigh of resignation.

"Well, I guess I already cleaned everyone out anyway." He said, smirking over at Sean, as the athlete groaned at the reminder.

"That's the spirit, Top Gun..." Taylor snickered, as Jake winked at him and leaned closer, only for Grace to tug excitedly on Taylors arm, dragging him away to get started on the decorations. "But-" he whined, reaching pitifully toward Jake as Grace giggled and dragged him further away.

"Come  _on,_  Taylor!" She said, as he sighed and dutifully began to follow after her.

"You know this is getting to be a habit..." Taylor grumbled, as he and Grace made their way to the lobby, finding several boxes of streamers, banners, balloons and tableware. "Wow... Where the hell did Raj  _find_  all this?" He wondered aloud, successfully distracted from his melancholy over un-kissed once more.

"I don't know," Grace giggled, diving into a box without hesitation, much to Taylors amusement. "But I cant wait to find out what he's got planned for the night!" She said, rising from the box with a large New Years Eve banner.

"Well, I guess we best get started then." Taylor chuckled, taking the banner and the box through to the lounge, over the other side of the stairs. "We can start in here, and do the lobby next." He suggested, as Grace clapped her hands excitedly.

"Oh, we can arrange the banner here, and have a feature display over there! Oh,  _Taylor!"_  Grace gushed excitedly, as he laughed at her enthusiasm. He ducked out of the room quickly, heading for the supply closet where Jake had cornered him upon their arrival. He felt a brief rush of affection, but shook his head and pushed the feeling aside, instead grabbing the small stepladder he'd come to find, and returning to Grace in the other room.

"I take it you're into decorating?" He sniggered, as he set up the step ladder and she beamed over at him in response, while rifling through the box and throwing things into colour coordinated piles.

"Decorating, painting, organisation... Its all such a rush!" She giggled, as she began folding origami figures to decorate the shelves, while giving him directions on where to hang the banner.

"So, is this what you wanna do?" He asked, as he pinned the first corner into place. "After college, I mean? Grace Tamara Hall; Party planner, extraordinaire?"

"It does have a nice ring to it!" Grace admitted with a giggle, though her eyes remained locked on her hands, as she continued to fold paper, not even looking up to make sure he'd placed the second pin straight. "But, I don't think it's quite meant to be..." she added quietly, as Taylor turns towards her curiously.

"Why not?" He asked, a small frown marring his brow, as he leaned against the top of the step ladder. "If it's something you enjoy-"

"Come on, Taylor, you know who my mom is." Grace said sourly, shaking her head as she carefully set a tiny swan on the mantelpiece. "Once I finish college, I'll be hired into the company, work my way to the top; and then succeed her." She said indifferently, settling back onto the ground to begin a new animal.

"Well..." Taylor said, recalling Grace's idol, the vision where Grace had freaked out over a single less than perfect grade, and felt like a complete failure for it. "Not being funny Grace, but, it doesn't exactly sound like you're too excited about it... Is that really what you wanna do?" He asked.

 _"Want?"_  Grace scoffed, shaking her head as she glanced over at him in amusement. "What's 'want' got to do with it? This is my future, to be like my mother. Successful business woman, brilliant and perfect... and  _alone."_  She sighed, her words drying up as she stared down at her unmoving hands blankly.

Taylor let her finish her tirade, before leaning heavier against the top of the step ladder, calling down to her in a secretive whisper.  _"Psst,_  Grace..." He whispered mockingly, grinning when she looked up at him in confusion. "Guess what? You're  _not_  alone anymore." He said, sniggering when her eyes widened. "Even if all of  _us_  weren't here for you, which we  _are;_  you have Aleister, remember? And what would he tell you, about letting a tyrannical parent, monopolize your life?" He asked, as Grace swallowed heavily, biting her lip indecisively. "Come on, Grace... He's gone through his own epiphany about his fathers attitude ruining his life and making him miserable. Don't let your mother do the same to you." He urged, as Grace looked back down at her unfinished origami animal.

She was silent for a long moment, her fingers delicately folding paper as she considered everything he'd said. He sighed, and hung his head, wondering what else he could say; when he noticed small feet enter his range of vision. He looked up to find Grace smiling at him shyly, offering a small paper animal to him. "You seem to be one of those rare people, who genuinely cares, and just wants to help people Taylor..." She said quietly, her eyes shimmering behind her glasses. "Don't ever change... My mom changed, but I don't want to. I'm going to stay  _me,_  and if that makes me a... Well, then so be it." She said, as a slow smile curved Taylors lips.

"Heh, you're gonna be  _amazing_  Grace, whatever you choose to be." He said, winking at her encouragingly, as she giggled. "Now, what tiny creature are you offering me?" He demanded, sniggering as she laughed heartily.

"Well you're a rare person, so it fits you have a rare creature; a unicorn!" She said, raising the small paper animal slightly higher.

He sniggered as he reached for it carefully, before his eyes widened suddenly. "Aw, crap!" He cursed, as the stepladder tipped sideways, and he toppled to the floor.

 _"Taylor!"_  Grace gasped, dropping to her knees beside him quickly, the tiny unicorn falling from her hands as she helped him sit up. "Are you okay?"

"Heh, yeah..." He snorted, shaking his head as he pushed himself to his knees, grinning over at her. "I'm fine, it wasn't far; and between us, I've had  _waaaay_  worse recently." He sniggered, as Grace eyed him worriedly.

"Maybe I should go get Miche-" she began, only for Taylor to grab her wrists desperately.

"Grace please,  _please,_  no!" He whined pleadingly, his eyes seeking hers out urgently. "Please, I swear I'm fine. Look, I landed on soft carpet, no bumps, no nothing. Just, please... I'm tired of the china treatment." He said quietly, as Grace raised a sceptical brow at him.

"And this isn't just because you want Jake to-" she began to say, only to break off into giggles when his jaw dropped.

 _"Grace!"_  He cried, his eyes wide from the shock of what she'd been intending to say.  _"Not_  you too!" He groaned, shaking his head in disbelief. "I never imagined you saying something so...  _crass!"_

"You spend enough time around a group like this, they all start to rub off on you..." Grace admitted, chuckling as she peeked up at him.

Taylor sniggered, his eyes falling to the tiny unicorn on the floor. He picked it up carefully, and stood it back on her palm. "See?" He said, grinning at her smugly. "Unicorns fine." He said, as she giggled, and moved away to place it on the mantelpiece with the swan. "Now," he said, righting the stepladder and gesturing to the banner. "Does this look okay?" He asked, his heart filled with affection, as they returned to their decorations.

They laughed as they worked together, and as the sun was sinking behind the mountains; they finally finished setting up the last of their decorations for the party in the lodges lounge. Just as they were walking through to the lobby, Craig strolled in, carrying a bucket full of champagne bottles. "Yo!" The jock called cheerfully, a wide grin on his face as he winked at Taylor, still grateful for his earlier help. "I found all this bubbly! But, no ice to go with it though." He said, gesturing to the bottles he carried. "I'm goin' outside to get some-"

 _"Fffrrrfl!"_  Furball yipped, as he blew a frigid wind, and instantly, frost formed on the bottles.

"Aw, noice!" Craig cheered, shifting the bucket to one arm, so he could hold out his hand to the small blue fox. "High five!" He said, laughing when Furball pawed it proudly.

 _"Mrrmp!"_  The little fox chirped, strutting off into the kitchen with his tail in the air.

"Now  _that'll_  come in handy!" Taylor praised, as Raj came charging over, his excitement palpable in the air around him.

"Okay, party people, here's the rundown..." He said, holding up his fingers and ticking of names. "We're celebrating birthdays for; me, Aleister, Craig, Estela, Quinn and Zahra."

 _"Ahem..."_  Michelle cleared her throat pointedly, scowling at Raj intently as she placed her hands on her hips. "Aren't you forgetting someone?" She demanded, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Yeah, Raj!" Taylor sniggered, throwing his arm around the blonde and drawing her against his side. "You forgot Michelle! Hers is today; December thirty first!  _Ahem,_  happy birthday, by the way..." He added quickly, laughing when she swatted his arm and wriggled free of his grasp.

"At least Taylor remembers." She said, flicking her hair over her shoulder as she pouted at the rest of the small group.

"Hey, I was getting to that part!" Raj said, his face falling as he looked over at Michelle reproachfully. "Technically, we haven't missed yours yet... Also, Taylors birthday, starts at midnight!"

"Oh!" Taylor hedged, his stomach hollowind as he recalled the almost blank sheet of paper that had been his file, back at The Celestial. "I uh, guess that's right..." He said uncertainly, frowning as he pondered how Rourke's creeps could have found his birthday, but not his name. He recalled they also got Estela's wrong, and wondered if perhaps that was why the date seemed to hold no recollection to him.

He shook his head in frustration, the entire matter making him feel nauseous. He looked around at the decorations, admiring Grace's planning and directions, and was about to comment on their good job; when he noticed some people were missing. "Hey, where are the others?" He asked suddenly, glancing towards the kitchen. "I don't see Jake-" he trailed off as he looked back at his friends, realizing that everyone was staring at the top of the staircase. He turned around with a small frown, which melted away into wonder, as he saw him.

"Awful quiet down there." Jake drawled, as he stepped down to the final top of the main staircase, pausing to smirk down at them all. "Y'all knew the party couldn't start without me, huh?" He asked smugly, sniggering when there was no response.

Taylor felt his heart lurch, his throat dry and constricted as he stared at Jake. Gone was his jacket, his plain shirt and even his dog tags. Instead he wore a smart shirt with waistcoat and and tie; complete with suit pants, the entire ensemble clinging to his body in all the right places. The pilot snickered at his awestruck expression, jogging down the stairs lightly with a small grin. He ran a hand through his hair, which he'd made an effort to style, sweeping it elegantly from his face. "So, what'd I miss?" He asked brightly, his gaze falling to Taylors stunned expression.

Taylor swallowed thickly, his mouth moving but no sound escaping him. Jake snorted, ducking his eyes as his cheeks dusted pink, biting his lip in uncharacteristic shyness. Taylor snapped out of his awe, a broad grin stretching across his face as he nudged Jake's shoulder conspiratorially. "Did you see the  _really_  hot guy just come down the stairs?" He asked, as Jake raised his gaze to his once more.

"No." Jake said, winking cockily as he dipped his gaze over Taylor. "I was distracted by someone waiting at the bottom."

 _"Damn,_  you're smooth..." Taylor huffed, his arms raising to the pilots new shirt collar as Jake stepped closer, his arm snaking around his waist. Taylor felt his heart race, his eyes locked onto Jake as he leaned closer, when he noticed movement from the corner of his eye. He looked up the stairs, to see Sean appear, Quinn and Estela each holding onto an arm at his sides.

"Oh..." Taylor heard Michelle gasp, and he turned to see her staring up the stairs in awe, her face no doubt the picture that his own had been while staring up at Jake.

"Happy New Year, everyone!" Quinn giggled, slowly descending the stairs in an elegant blue gown, her long hair pinned up with delicate pearl clips which accentuated her auburn hair beautifully.

"Anything we can do to help set up?" Sean asked, walking down slowly between the two girls, steadying them as they held up their long dresses with their free hands.

"I thought you guys were on furniture duty..." Taylor said, frowning as the athlete glanced at Jake guiltily.

"I blame  _him."_  Sean said quickly, as Jake scowled over at him. "He said we should have a rematch upstairs, and then we... explored..." The athlete broke off, as Taylor pulled away from Jake with a raised brow.

"Did you convince Sean to skip out on your job,  _to play poker_?" He demanded, folding his arms over his chest.

"Uh, I  _suggested_  a friendly rematch to win back his honour..." Jake drawled slowly, narrowing his eyes at Sean when the athlete snickered.

Taylor gave up attempting to appear stern, shaking his head as he ran his eyes over Jake's new look once more. "I can't even be mad you dodged duty..." He muttered, and Jake grinned winningly, winking at him in smug satisfaction.

 _"Whoa!"_  Craig exclaimed, his eyes wide as he watched Estela descend the stairs. "Is that  _you,_  Estela?!"

"Of course it's me." Estela snarked, rolling her eyes as she reached the bottom step and smoothed down her glittering silver gown. The low cut front left little to the imagination, and with her hair free of it's usual ponytail, she'd brushed her bangs into a loosely curled fringe, showing her face, neck and the hooped earrings she wore. "Who else would it be?"

"Where'd you find the clothes?" Taylor asked, biting his lip as he fought hard to resist the urge to start unbuttoning Jake's outfit already.

 _"Me?"_  Jake snorted, beaming a flashy grin at him. "I keep a spare New Years Eve getup at all times, you know, for emergencies." He said, snickering as Taylor laughed and shook his head. "Actually, they were in this suite Sean was rummaging around in."

 _"Riiight,_  I see how it is." Taylor said knowingly, eyeing the athlete as he pointedly avoided his gaze. "You two would throw each other under the bus any day, wouldn't you?" He said, snorting when they both exchanged a glance and chuckled guiltily.

"I saved something for you too, if you wanna be my date for tonight..." Jake said hopefully, holding up a suit bag which had been draped over his arm. He unzipped it, and Taylors jaw dropped at the suit within, as he reached out to stroke the cuff carefully. "You like it?" Jake asked nervously, his eyes darting between Taylor and the clothes as he bit his lip.

"I..." Taylor stammered, lost for words as his eyes remained glued to elegant suit. He gently took the bag from Jake's arm, gesturing mutely towards the stairs and ignoring the amused sniggers from behind him as he dashed away. He quickly darted upstairs, ducking into the first room he found and pushing the door closed behind him, before hastily shrugging his clothes off as fast as he could in his eagerness.

 _Date..._  He thought, a bubble of joy seeming to rise in his heart and throat.  _Be my date for tonight_... He thought again, giddy from the butterflies which danced and fluttered in his stomach. He took a deep breath, and quickly washed himself down, before taking the suit from its bag carefully, tracing his fingers along the sleeve briefly. With a wide grin, he hung it on the back of the door, and pulled on the shirt, buttoning it slowly as he watched himself in the mirror. He shook his head, still dazed from the overwhelming sense of joy which flooded him, as he reached for the pants and stepped into them. Once they were done up, he four shows in the bottom of the bag, and he quickly threw them on, lacing them up hastily, before swinging the jacket over his arms.

All that remained was the bowtie, and although it took a couple tries, he was pleased with the overall look. He ran a hand through his hair nervously, making no attempt to style the short, but rebellious spikes. Stepping back to look at himself, he giggled with nervous energy, before he reached for the door handle. He took a deep breath, and threw the door open, strolling back into the hallway with a shy smile. "Well?" He asked, making his way down the stairs to rejoin the party, with a noticeable bounce in his step. "Don't leave me in suspense... How do I look?" He asked, biting his lip as Jake silently ran his eyes over him. "If I look stupid I can change ba-"

"Heh." Jake huffed, flashing his cocky grin again, as he winked at him. "You just  _had_  to go and one up me, didn't ya?" He said, his amused gaze rising to meet Taylors, as he chuckled with relief.

"You know it." He said, grinning back at his pilot goofily, his heart melting at the pleasant vibe of the evening.

"Well played." Jake said, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth thoughtfully. "Pretty sure  _I_  still win, though." He added, wearing a crooked grin.

"How do you figure?" Taylor laughed, shaking his head as he fiddled with his collar, until Jake reached over to stay his hand.

"Because," the pilot murmured, stepping closer. " _I_  get to look at you." He said lowly, his eyes trailing over Taylor hungrily. Taylor felt his heart thump loudly against his chest, swept away by the great rush of affection and love he felt.

Just as he was about to give voice to his thoughts however, the others noticed his new attire.  _"Impressive,_  Taylor." Aleister drawled approvingly, a tiny, playful grin hitching his lips upward. "You  _almost_  look like you have some dignity."

"I say thankyou, Aleister." Taylor said, sniggering as Jake groaned and muttered to himself about privacy. "It's nice to know I can at least make it  _seem_  like I have a little dignity!"

"Wow!" Michelle gasped, walking over and taking his hands, spreading his arms wide to get a full look at him. "You look  _so_  good, I didn't even recognize you!"

 _"That..."_  Taylor said, cocking his head as he hesitated, grinning uncertainly. "Sounds like an insult..?" He asked, as Michelle rolled her eyes and swatted his shoulder playfully.

 _"Everything_  out of my mouth sounds like an insult." She said wryly, placing her hands on her hips as she glanced sideways at him. "It  _wasn't_  one." She added, giggling when he drew her into a one armed hug.

"Come on, doodlejumpers!" Raj cheered, waving everyone towards the lounge. "Let the festivities begin!" He cried, plugging his phone into the speaker system in the parlor and hitting play. Immediately, upbeat dance music pumped from the stereo.

"Man, time flies..." Craig said wistfully, as everyone filed into the lounge. "Can't believe it's been a year already "

"... Craig." Zahra sighed, covering her face with her palm briefly, before looking up at him in exasperation. "It  _hasn't."_  She snorted.

"Still counts." The jock said defensively, stalking over to where a small bar stood in the far corner of the room.

"Oh my gosh, who made all these gorgeous figures?" Quinn asked excitedly, looking at all the origami shapes, lining the shelves and mantelpiece.

"That would be Grace's expert fingers." Taylor said, winking as he waggled his fingers in at the blushing girl herself.

"I didn't-" she began, only for Quinn to quickly take her hand and drag her to a table where some coloured paper was left out.

"Please,  _please!_  You have to show me, Grace!" Quinn pleaded, as Grace giggled and took a sheet for herself.

"Well, what do you want me to make..?" She asked, and Taylor grinned at the obvious pride and happiness radiating from the dark skinned girl.

"Who's up for a toast?" Jake called, leaning against the bar and pointedly watching Taylor as he weaved through their friends to join him.

"I will  _not_  be able to survive a party with these people sober, so..." Michelle declared, hopping up to the bar beside Estela and eagerly tapping the top with her palms. "Yeah, drink please!"

"What are we having?" Estela asked curiously, moving to lean her arms on the bar, before remembering her low cut dress, and blushing faintly as she leaned against her hip instead.

Jake grinned over at Taylor, throwing him a cocky wink. "Why don't we let Boy Scout pick?" He said, as Taylor wrinkled his nose and looked through the arrangement of booze, already laid out on the counter.

"I think..." Taylor hummed thoughtfully, his gaze towards the whiskey, knowing it would be Jake's first choice. Instead he pointed past it, to a tray of fruity cocktail's for everyone, sniggering when Jake's face clearly expressed his disgust.

"Oh,  _absolutely!"_  Michelle gushed, grabbing the tray and eagerly handing out the set of bright, iced, citrus beverages. She beamed a wide smile at Taylor, and leaned over to press a kiss to Taylors cheek, giggling when he immediately wiped her lipstick from his cheek with the back of his sleeve.

"It's uh..." Estela balked, staring at the drink with open distrust.  _"Colourful."_  She finally decided, visibly steeling her nerve to try it.

"Now way,  _sweetheart."_  Jake scoffed, shaking his head in disappointment as he leaned around Taylor to return his drink to the tray. "I'll  _pass."_

"Nuh uh, Top Gun!" Taylor sniggered, pushing the drink back into his hand, his fingers lingering over Jake's as he met his gaze with a playful grin. "You said,  _I_  got to pick."

"Yeah, but-" the pilot protested, only for Taylor to press a finger to his lips, as he bit his own in amusement. Jake raised a brow in intrigue, before rolling his eyes and accepting the drink again, sighing in reluctant defeat.

"These are  _insanely_  good." Michelle explained, and Taylor laughed, certain the blonde was practically vibrating with excitement. "So many light, refreshing flavours. So sweet and delicious..." She squealed, raising her glass between them all. "Not to mention, the colours look  _great_  with my manicure! Cheers!" She giggled, as the others touched their glasses to hers with a brief clink.

Taylors eyes met Jake's, as they took a gulp through a straw, a huge knowing smile taking over his face as the pilot choked, his shoulders hunching in sudden surprise. "Alright, timeout..." Jake said, staring at the drink with wide eyes. "That was  _fantastic!"_

"Gotta trust me, Jake..." Taylor said, clicking his tongue as he met the pilots gaze meaningfully, a proud smirk on his face.

"I won't doubt you again." The pilot said with a wink, his eyes remaining locked with Taylors for another moment, before they both snorted and continued drinking.

 _"Oh my god_!" Taylor heard Diego's excited voice before he saw him, and he immediately tensed in suspicion, a firm sense of foreboding settling in his gut; telling him whatever had Diego so excited, would only be bad news for himself.  _"Taylor!_  Where's Taylor?  _Taylor!"_  His friend called excitedly, confirming his foreboding feeling, and he quickly ducked behind the bar, not trusting his friends excitement; when specifically trained on finding him.

"Guys, guys! Where's Taylor? You'll never  _believe_  what Varyyn and I found!" Diego gushed, as he rushed over, and Taylor scowled from his hiding place.

"What, Boy Scout?" Jake asked innocently, looking around the room. "Nope... Can't see him." He said, snoring as he took another sip of his drink.

"Ha ha, funny! I  _know_  he's somewhere nearby..." Diego insisted, as Taylor closed his eyes and counted to ten, silently pleading his friend move on. "Come on, tell me where he is!" Diego pleaded, stamping his foot in his urgency. If Taylor hadn't been so stubbornly focused on evading his friend, he would have laughed at him. "I can  _guarantee_  you will like what we found... Once, we, uh...  _convince_  him..." He added, and Taylors stomach dropped with trepidation.

"And, what  _is_  it you found, exactly, Short Stuff?" Jake asked pointedly, and Taylor bit his lip to contain his groan, noticing the pilots perked interest.

"It's a pro karaoke machine!" Diego gushed excitedly, as Jake choked and spluttered on a mouthful of drink, and Taylor buried his burning face in his knees.

"Boy Scout,  _my_  Boy Scout...  _sings?!"_  Jake gasped between coughs, setting his drink on the bar.

"Well... He uh, he kinda doesn't like to... in  _public..."_  Diego hedged guiltily, before quickly recovering. "But, I'm such an  _awesome_  friend and all, I uh,  _encourage_  him, whenever I get the chance..." Taylor raised his head, resting it against the wall as he scowled at the ceiling.

Moments later, Jake's incredulous face peered over the top of the bar, his lips twitching with amusement. "You been keepin' secrets again, Boy Scout?" He demanded, and Taylor snorted as he pushed himself to his feet with a groan.

 _"No._  I do  _not_  sing." He said firmly, grabbing one of the whiskeys on the bar, and downing it quickly. "Diego is a filthy liar, and you should all ignore him."

"Dude, come on! It's New Years!" Diego pleaded, as Taylor rolled his eyes. "You gotta,  _please?!_  Remember last year? You  _loved_  it!"

"I  _hated_  it, and I didn't speak to you for a week." Taylor said, frowning distractedly as his mind itched. He recalled what Diego referred to, the New Years party at Hartfeld the previous year, where he'd been manhandled to the microphone after too many drinks, but the memory was shiny; it both fit and didn't fit in his memory, leaving him confused and flustered. He raised a hand to his brow, rubbing unconsciously, as he tried to focus on the memory, and understand why it felt so different from any others. He turned to the bar and braced his arm against it, leaning heavily against the hard surface as he determinedly picked at the memory, noticing a strange film-like quality to it.

"Boy Scout!" Jake's concerned call, and hand on his shoulder, snapped him out of his efforts, and he looked up to find the pilot staring at him with obvious worry. "Wha-"

"Oh... Sorry..." He said, turning with a smile and forgetting about memories, under the scrutiny of his friends. "Drank that a little too fast," he said brightly, taking Jake's hand on his shoulder and squeezing gently.

"Ya started shakin', was it-" Jake asked, tapping his head discreetly as Taylor opened his mouth to quickly deny it, before reconsidering.

"I just, I was thinking about what Diego said and it bugged me... I was uh, I was  _pushing_  a little." He admitted quietly, as Diego eagerly traded whispers with Michelle and Estela, though his eyes darted to Taylor often. "I'm okay though, I promise." He said, smiling as Jake frowned at him.

"You wanna go lie down?" He asked, still not entirely convinced of Taylors stability. "Party'll still be here in a hour-"

"I'm fine, I  _promise._  What will it take to make you see that?" Taylor asked his pilot coyly, immediately groaning when Diego turned towards him with a grin.  _"Not that!"_  He complained, as Diego spread his palms.

"Well, you can go  _sing,_  or you can go  _lie down_." His friend sniggered, as Taylor scowled at him. "Pick your medicine, dude."

"You're the  _worst_  friend ever, you know that, right?" Taylor groused, looking down at his feet as his cheeks burnt with heat.

"Come on, Taylor...  _Please?"_  Michelle asked, batting her eyelashes as he turned a baleful glare to her. "What if I promise to take a turn to?"

"But-" Taylor protested, only to be cut off by Craig, Zahra and Quinn joining them.

"What's up, brah?" Craig asked, grabbing a cocktail for Quinn, a whiskey for Zahra and an ice cold beer for himself.

"Taylors gonna sing." Estela said, smirking when he gasped and glared over at her.

"I did  _not_  agree to-!"

"Oh,  _Taylor!_  You never said you liked to sing!" Quinn cried excitedly, bouncing over to grip his arm, shaking him lightly. "We could do a  _duet!"_  She giggled, as Taylor groaned.

"I do  _not_  sing!" Taylor protested, glaring at Diego, as his friend grinned unashamedly at him. "Diego is just, a hallway perv who doesn't get that finding out a person sings in the shower, does not mean they harbor secret dreams of being a rock star!" He fumed, folding his arms over his chest and pouting as Aleister and Grace joined them. "He heard me one day, minding my own damn business while in the shower, and now he makes a big thing about it whenever there's an opportunity!"

"That's because you were good!" Diego snarked back, snorting when Taylor stuck his tongue out at him spitefully. "Okay fine, you weren't  _bad;_  and I am just building your confidence."

"My damn confidence is fine." Taylor sniffed, pointedly avoiding looking at anyone and instead staring out the darkening window. "You just love to-"

"Hear you sing, yes, exactly." Diego said, cutting over Taylor quickly.

" _I'd_  like to hear you sing..." Grace admitted quietly, and Taylor buried his face in his hands with a groan.

He rose several seconds later, turning to Jake to find the pilot grabbing himself another drink. "What?" He snarked, raising a brow at the pilots twitching lips. "No smart comment from  _you_  about getting me to go along with this?"

"Nah," Jake said calmly, tipping a glass of whiskey at him with a wink. "I heard you sing my name already..." The pilot snickered, watching intently as Taylor flushed red. "I mean, it'd be good and all but, if ya  _really_  don't wanna... I won't push it. I'll just have to live without the encore later..."

 _"That..._  is blackmail." Taylor snorted quietly, staring at the ground as he sighed in resignation. "I  _officially_  hate you all." He mumbled, as Diego cheered ecstatically. He looked up as Jake leaned in close beside him, fingers curling beneath his jaw to raise his eyes to the pilots.

"I'll make it worth your while..." He promised in a low drawl, as Taylor felt the heavy flame of desire in his gut flare brilliantly, despite his ire.

"Oh, you have  _no_  idea... This is gonna mean a  _lifetime_  of making it up to me." He said, scowling reproachfully, until he noticed something flicker in Jake's clear eyes, softening them slightly.

"I'll take that." Jake murmured slowly, his lips descending towards Taylors, only for Diego to snatch him away towards the back of the room quickly, fearing he might change his mind.

"But-" he pouted, as Jake sniggered and saluted at him from the bar. His friends gathered around a small podium like stage, more for announcements than performances. "Dude, this is-"

 _"Tada!"_  Diego exclaimed, as Varyyn dramatically drew a large curtain across the back of the stage and revealed a piano, along with a selection of string instruments. Lastly, was a stereo like machine, with huge speakers, a screen and a microphone; something which had Taylors stomach already flipping with nerves.

"Have I mentioned I hate you?" Taylor snarked, yanking his arm free from his friends grip, as Raj unplugged his phone, abruptly ending the background music. "Diego, I  _swear..._  I just,  _urgh..._  You're the worst." He grumbled, as Diego slapped him on the back with a wide grin.

"Hey, Taylor..?" He asked his eyes glittering with mischievous glee. "What's your favourite colour?" He asked, laughing when Taylor snorted and shook his head. Finally, with a deep sigh, he stepped forward to begin searching through the system. "And hey, sneaky sneakerton! A music only version, no lip syncing! ... and not one with the same ten words repeated for three minutes!" Diego called after him, as he rolled his eyes in exasperation.

He browsed the selection, his heart hammering nervously in his chest as he bit his lip. Countless songs all offered themselves shamelessly, until finally, one caught his eye. He glanced back at his friends, smiling as he decided it for them all well, along with their current situations. He grinned, selecting the track and fidgeting in building anticipation. "Okay," he said, picking up a microphone and turning towards his waiting friends, a smile twitching the corner of his lips up. "I am here thanks to Diego... Who I  _hate."_  He said blandly, as Diego cheered brightly, ignoring Taylor as he shook his head in exasperation. "And just to clarify, once this is done; we are  _never_  mentioning it again.  _Ever."_  He added with a wry smirk, clearing his throat as a brief glimmer of excitement lit in his gut, before starting the music and taking a deep breath.

 _"I see you thinking twice, wish I could read your mind... Move up or out of line, too late for praying_..." He began, feeling his cheeks flood with heat as Diego cheered wildly. Despite his attempts to remain annoyed, the music itself was able to drown out his nerves, focusing on the beat and the words a pleasant distraction. " _I know we might lose our breath, we might be scared to death... This chance is like a step, just got to take it..."_  He sang, taking a deliberate step forward on the stage, and laughing when they all cheered him on.

" _Whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh... Countdown to here we go oh oh oh oh oh oh.._." He sang slowly, his grin growing as the chorus music built, and he threw a wink to his friends, as he finally let go of his hesitation.

" _Hold on tight, slide a little closer! Up so high stars are on our shoulders! Time flies by, don't close your eyes_..." He sang with a gusto, as Sean picked up Michelle and sat her on his shoulders, her loud cheers instantly grabbing everyone's attention. " _Kiss by kiss love is like a thrill ride, what goes up might take us upside down! Life ain't a merry go round!"_

He glanced over at Jake, leaning against the bar with a fond smirk on his face, as he nursed a drink, and watched with rapt attention. " _It's a roller coaster... It's a roller coaster_..." He sang softly, biting his lip briefly before beginning the second verse.

" _Can't lie and won't pretend... I know what's round the bend... Too late to start again... Won't take it slower..."_  He sang, glancing around his friends and feeling his heart grow, as Quinn and Diego began to dance back to back, Varyyn watching them with blatant fascination. " _Let's slip right off these tracks, we'll fly or we might crash... Don't look down, don't look back... 'Cause it ain't over..."_

 _"Hold on tight, slide a little closer! Up so high stars are on our shoulders! Time flies by, don't close your eyes_..." Taylor sang amidst laughter, wagging his finger back and forth, before he threw his arm in the air and slid across the stage, giving in and letting himself enjoy the song. " _Kiss by kiss, love is like a thrill ride! What goes up, might take us upside down! Life ain't a merry go round!"_

Taylor giggled as he spun a slow circle, listening to his friends cheer and enjoy themselves. Craig spun Zahra and Estela from either arm, as Aleister twirled Grace at the back of the group and lifted her in a graceful arc. " _It's a roller coaster... It's a roller coaster..."_

 _"Whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh... Countdown to here we go oh oh oh oh oh oh..._ " He said lowly, as Raj, Lila, Michelle and Sean all joined in, pumping their fists in time to the tune.

" _So hold on tight, slide a little closer... Up so high, stars are on our shoulders... It's a roller coaster_..." He said quietly, the song temporarily dropping its beat. He looked around his friends, all laughing, dancing and singing along; and his heart swelled with affection and love, his eyes pricking with joyful tears. He glanced at Jake, as the pilot raised his glass to him with a smirk; and he shot him cocky wink in reply, before launching himself into the final part of the song.

He shimmied across the stage, his arm raised in the air, as he roared the final part of the chorus. " _Kiss by kiss love is like a thrill ride! What goes up might take us upside down! Life ain't a merry go round!"_

He laughed so hard, he was almost incomprehensible, as he spoke the final words soulfully. " _It's a roller coaster... It's a roller coaster..._ " He sang, his giggles mashing the words together as Diego and Raj swung their long hair in tandem to the closing beat. " _Roller coaster... It's a roller coaster..._ " He finally trailed off, laughing hard and hanging his head as his cheeks flared with heat.  _"Urgh..."_  He laughed, looking up again with blatant affection for them in his eyes. "I hate you all. The end." He laughed, tossing the microphone to Quinn with a wink as the redhead hopped onto the stage, before quickly rushing to flee himself.

He hurried to the bar, snatching the offered drink from Jake's hand, and throwing it down his throat quickly.  _"Don't_  say it." He said, pointing at the pilot without looking at him.

"Didn't say a thing." Jake replied, and Taylor scowled at the smug grin he could hear in his voice.

"You  _thought_  it." He accused, swapping his empty whiskey glass for a full one, and sipping it this time.

"I thought it." Jake confirmed without shame, and Taylor huffed an amused snigger, turning to lean his back against the bar. He glanced over at the stage, where the others were already into the flow of another song, Quinn dancing and singing shamelessly to 'It's My Life'. "You're such a 'lil cupid." Jake snorted suddenly, hiding his guilty grin against his glass as Taylor turned a scowl towards him.

"I told you not to say it!" Taylor complained, though he quickly dissolved into giggles as he looked back at his friends. "Do you think it worked?"

"If its meant to be, its meant to be, Boy Scout..." Jake said, shrugging his shoulders. "Ain't no amount of interference from  _you_  gonna make 'em feel what they don't feel. Sayin' that though... There's definitely some vibes." He admitted, eyeing Zahra and Craig as they rocked out as if at a metal concert to Michelle's turn, as she sang 'American Pie'.

"Heh, I  _knew_  it." Taylor said smugly, knocking back a drink and shaking his head quickly when it hit him harder than he thought. "Hmm,  _whoops."_  He sniggered, leaning more heavily against the bar. "I think I should eat something..." He said, resting his head against the bar.

"You mean like, the cooked stuff..?" Jake asked, a laugh in his tone which already had Taylor giggling in anticipation. "'Cause, I got some raw meat-"

 _"Jaaake!"_  He laughed, raising his head to meet Taylors half concerned and half amused gaze. "Feed me." He asked pathetically, and the pilot rolled his eyes as he grinned, but moved away to grab him a plate of food.

Taylor watched him go, buting his lip as he shook his head in disbelief of how different the pilot could make himself appear with a change of clothes and hairstyle. He sighed contently, turning to see the others were shutting the karaoke machine down, and setting the piano up on stage at Aleister's direction.

"Well,  _that_  lasted," he sniggered, as Diego and Varyyn strolled over with Raj, Grace and Lila.

"That was very good, Taylor." Varyyn immediately assured, as Taylor flushed crimson. "The Vaanti do not dance as you do, but we certainly believe that to sing is a great thing."

"Varyyn, we're not supposed to ever mention it again." Grace giggled, as Taylor winked at her gratefully. "Taylor's obviously not ready to bask in his glory yet."

"Heh, he will be later." Jake said confidently, returning with a plate for Taylor, which he set on the bar beside him. Taylor frowned, noticing the faint stiffness in his shoulders. "I'm gonna help the Brawn Gang." He said gesturing towards Sean and Craig trying to move the piano on the stage. He reached over and squeezed Taylors shoulder briefly, before moving away from their group.

"Jake..?" Taylor called in confusion, before catching sight of Varyyn's awkward and faintly guilty expression. "Oh, no... I'm sure it's not... He just-" he tried to reassure, though his words fell flat without Jake there to back him up.

"All things take time, Taylor." Varyyn said dismissively, though his shoulders sagged slightly.

Taylor bit his lip, feeling slightly responsible for the Vaanti leaders melancholy. He recalled Varyyn's curious expression while Diego and Quinn had danced, and quickly voiced the first thought to pop in his head. "So, the Vaanti don't celebrate anything like this at all?" He asked, successfully changing the subject from Jake's abrupt departure, as he dug into the plate his pilot had left him.

"A new year?" Varyyn asked, visibly perking as he snorted derisively. "Of  _course_  not." He said.

"You're missing out, my man!" Raj cheered, clapping the Elyyshar on the shoulder warmly. "New Year's parties are the  _dopest_  parties!"

"To mark the passage of time, is a fruitless effort." Varyyn said, shaking his head slowly. "It is time, that marks the passing of us."

"... Was that deep?" Diego asked, his head cocked in confusion as he stared with wide eyes at Varyyn, before flicking then quickly to Taylor. "I can't tell."

"You can't tell a lot of things, like when to shut up." Taylor snorted, dodging Diego's attempt to swat his arm with a laugh.

"What I mean, is that... Time is  _infinite."_  Varyyn explained, searching for the words to express himself correctly. "Counting it is like... Is like..."

"Like counting the grains of sand on the beach!" Grace supplied, giggling when Varyyn nodded toward her gratefully.

"Yes." He said, spreading his palms questioningly. "You  _could_  do it. But, to what end?"

"It's not really about counting the years of the world, Varyyn." Lila rebuffed, her bright smile beaming around the group. "It's about... What  _you_  as a person, did with your year. And, what you'll do with the  _next_  one."

"Hm..." Varyyn hummed thoughtfully, frowning as he considered the tour guides words. "And what do  _you_  see in the New Year, Taylor?" He asked, and Taylor snorted, choking on his latest moutful.

"You're asking the wrong person," he coughed with a wide grin, winking at the Vaanti leader in amusement. "To  _me,_  the New Year is all about the kissing." He sniggered, waggling his eyebrows suggestively, as Grace burst into giggles.

 _"Kissing?"_  Varyyn gasped, his eyes widening, as his jaw fell slack in surprise.

"Uh,  _yeah..."_  Diego said, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck as he scowled at Taylor. "That's,  _uh,_  a  _minor_  side thing..." He said quickly, shaking his head at Taylor, as he narrowed his eyes with the silent threat of revenge.

"Hey, whaddya know, I got even already!" Taylor sniggered, as Raj laughed. "Aw, Diego... You okay buddy, you're kinda red there... Do ya need to go lie down?" He teased, as Diego flushed a deeper rouge.

"You didn't tell him, Diego?" Grace giggled, and Taylor laughed as she joined in, finishing up his plate of food quickly and sighing when he could already feel the benefits. "Everyone makes out at midnight on New Year's!" She said innocently, biting her lip as her own cheeks dusted pink. "Well...  _I've_  never. You know,  _other_  people..."

"Honestly," Taylor sighed, pushing himself away from the bar, and turning towards his friends with a soft, warm smile. "Everyone has their  _own_  reason to celebrate." He said, shrugging his shoulders lightly at the simply explanation.

"I think I understand now..." Varyyn said thoughtfully, his eyes lighting with excitement. "And, I now have my own reason." He said, a small smile twitching his lips up at the corners.

"And, what's that..?" Diego asked, biting his lip hesitantly. Taylor also tilted his head, curious as to what the Vaanti would take from the conversation they'd had.

"I celebrate to remind myself, that every end is a beginning... Except the last one." Varyyn said, and Taylor blew out a large breath, nodding his head thoughtfully, as the words resonated in his heart with a strange potency.

"Uh..." Diego said, as he darted his wide eyes around the group uncertainly.

"Hey, any reason's a good reason, dude!" Raj laughed, slapping Diego on the back and knocking him into Varyyn, who gently set him right again, before turning back to Raj. "Now, lemme tell you all about the incredible invention, of sunglasses; that have the year on them..!" He said excitedly, and Taylor snorted, shaking his head and deciding that the conversation had taken a turn he couldn't follow seriously.

He spotted Quinn, Sean and Craig sat on a large sofa nearby, and he grabbed a drink as he moved over to join them. He glanced around quickly for Jake, but was disappointed when he couldn't catch sight of his pilot. He sighed, and flopped onto the sofa with the others, relaxing gratefully. "Been partying a little hard, Taylor?" Sean asked knowingly, as Taylor offered him a vague thumbs up.

"Oh no," Quinn giggled, and Taylor groaned, already hearing the innuendo before she voiced it. "That's what Jake has install for him later..." She laughed, as he nudged her arm playfully.

"You guys are always picking on me," he complained, glaring at the redhead balefully. "I'm nothin' but nice to you guys, and all I get in return is teased!" He huffed, though his lips twitched good naturedly.

"Aw Taylor, it's just that you're so cute when you're embarrassed!" Quinn giggled, successfully turning him red again, as she leaned against his shoulder.

"Come on, Quinn, leave the poor guy alone." Sean laughed quietly, "It's your turn to answer, anyway..." He added, winking at Taylor when the redhead sat up and frowned thoughtfully.

"Huh..." She hummed, idly picking at a fold of her blue gown. "Well... I never really made a resolution before, let alone an embarrassing one..." She confessed, glancing around them sheepishly. "I guess... I didn't see the point."

"Well, now you've got your  _whole life_  ahead of you, Quinn..." Taylor said with a grin, leaning back against the sofa and throwing an arm around her shoulders.  _"What_  do you wanna  _do_  with it?"

"I've got no idea!" Quinn admitted in a wide eyed gush, giggling as she shook her head in awe. "It's weird, to think where we'll be, a year from now..." She said, not noticing when Taylor stiffened, and slowly removed his arm from her shoulder, as he shifted away slightly. "Like, if it's New Years now, and we all missed our first half of senior year... then we'll all be graduates in a year..!"

"Yeah, I didn't think about it that way..." Sean admitted, rubbing the back of his neck as he expelled a large gush of air. "All of us, out in the real world..." He said, staring into the distance with a fond smile.

Taylor felt his gut twist sharply, and he set his untouched drink on the coffee table, taking a deep breath to try and curb the rising sense of nausea he felt. "Heh.  _Yeah..."_  Craig choked, and Taylor glanced over, to meet the jocks similarly despondent gaze.

"Well,  _my_  resolution tonight, is to work hard to graduate, and get drafted with my best friend here." Sean said, beaming a wide smile at Craig, as he slapped him on the back warmly, unheeding of the jocks flinch.

"Mine's just to, uh..." Craig stumbled, and Taylor felt his heart constrict painfully at the thought of the vision he'd seen; the message Craig had got, just before leaving for La Huerta, denying him his dream. "Really, just to have the  _best_  senior year ever..." He said lamely, averting his gaze from everyone.

"Hmm..." Quinn hummed, frowning thoughtfully. "Then mine will be, um...  _Oh!_  I know!" She gasped suddenly, her face brightening into a huge grin as she barely contained her excitement. "I'll resolve to get my parents back together!" She cried, clasping her arms before her chest as she rocked in her seat. "Should be a piece of cake, now that they won't have to fight over their sick daughter!" She giggled, biting her lip, and staring up at the ceiling dreamily.

 _"Whoa._  Uh, well..." Craig stammered, his eyes wide in awe of her sense of purpose. "Good luck, Q! If anyone can do it, it's  _you!"_

"How about  _you,_  Taylor?" Sean asked, looking over with a fond grin.

 _"Me?"_  Taylor asked, his stomach tying in knots as he considered the things the others had thought of. _I can't even believe in my own ability to leave the island... How the hell can I make a resolution with no past to go off, and no_ \- his rambling thoughts paused suddenly, as he saw Jake, leaning against Aleister's piano, as the pale boy played a nocturne as background noise for the party. Despite his mixed feelings, he felt his hysteria settle, and he smiled, looking around all of his friends with rising affection.  _I might not know where we're headed, but I know what we have; right now_. "My resolution, is to hold on to what matters." He said quietly, his eyes lingering on Jake again, before pointedly meeting Craig's gaze. "I think  _you,_  Craig, really inspired me to focus on the  _now..._  On what's important." He said, bidding almost imperceptibly, before looking back around the room. And nothing is more important to me; than all of you. He silently added, smiling a secretive smile, as he lowered his gaze to the floor.

 _"Me? Really?"_  Craig asked, clearly surprised, but beaming a bright grin when he realised it wasn't a slip of the tongue. "Yo, Taylor, that's pretty cool of you to say..." He said, offering him a high five which Taylor gladly reciprocated, not even regretting his stinging hand afterwards. "Aw hey, look, Michelle's gonna sing again..." The jock said, nodding over to where Michelle was standing beside Aleister, who nodded along to whatever they were discussing.

By collective decision, they rose to their feet, and plodded over to gather with the others around the piano. "Taylor, did you wanna help me sing Auld Lang Syne..?" Michelle asked, glancing over briefly as Aleister prepared to begin playing accompaniment.

Before Taylor could even shake his head, Jake had curled an arm around his waist, smirking down at him. "Sorry, Maybelline, but Boy Scout's encore is  _mine..."_  He said, winking down at Taylor as he laughed and swatted his shoulder.

"I thought we were playing strip poker..?" He said playfully, leaning close to the pilots ear, as Michelle began to sing slowly to Aleister's melody.

"That's just the warm up." Jake murmured back with a cocky grin, his clear eyes alight with intent. Taylor bit his lip, lowering his gaze in the hopes of hiding the desire he felt, rapidly coursing through him.

" _Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind..._ " Michelle sang, her sadness tinged voice ringing out across the room, distracting Taylor from his surging arousal. He turned his attention back to the song, and noticed Aleister nodding along with the rhythm, infusing each note with delicate feeling. " _And there's a hand, my trusted friend... and give us a hand o'thine... And we'll take a right good will draught... For Auld Lang Syne_..."

Taylor broke away from Jake to burst into applause, as the pair drew to a close. Aleister stood from the piano and gently took Michelle's hand, leading her to bow with him. "Not bad, Schroeder." Jake said, patting Aleister on the back as they stepped down from the stage. "Didn't know you had it in you." The pilot snickered, a wide grin on his face.

"That was so great, you guys!" Grace gushed, rushing over to Aleister and wrapping her arms around his waist tightly.

Taylor turned upon hearing a sniff, to find Raj beside him, wiping off a tear. "Just... beautiful..." He sighed contently, before his eyes widened suddenly. " _Oh my god_! I completely forgot! We haven't sung Happy Birthday! Aleister, back on the keys!" He ordered quickly, and though Aleister rolled his eyes and sniffed derisively, he made no complaint.

"Are we even  _allowed_  to sing it..?" Diego asked uncertainly, glancing around almost nervously. "I thought it was copyrighted-"

"Who's gonna stop us, bro? Unless..." Craig asked, faltering slightly as his jaw dropped suddenly. "Dude, does Rourke own the rights to Happy Birthday? That'd be his most evil plan yet!"

"Everybody remember whose birthdays we're doing?" Raj called, and Taylor snickered, as Diego looked around guiltily. He sobered, as everyone tried to sing the first few lines on the same key, glancing up with amusement at Jake's husky drawl.

"Happy birthday dear; Aleister, Craig, Quinn, Michelle, Estela, Raj, Zahra and..." Taylors voice trailed off, and he fidgeted uncomfortably at the thought of adding himself to the list. He bit his lip, purposely avoiding everyone's gaze as they said his name, hoping they would put it down to embarrassment.

"Guys!" Raj cheered excitedly, fisting the air with joy. "That was flawless! Best birthday song ever!"

"Totally aced it!" Taylor agreed, relieved nobody had noticed his hesitancy.

"Ha! Take  _that_  Rourke!" Craig cheered, high fiving with both Raj and Sean at once. Taylor watched with a small grin, as everyone applauded and hugged each other, until he caught sight of Lila; who was wandering outside onto the patio, ignorant of the light snowfall around her. He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, and moved to follow her, stepping outside in her wake. He paused, considering briefly, before slowly pushing the patio door to.

Lila was alone; gazing up at the night sky, with a champagne glass in her hand. "Lila?" He called gently, not wanting to startle her, but she barely glanced towards him.

"Oh." She said quietly, returning ber gaze to the sky. "Hi, Taylor." She said dispassionately, before suddenly seeming to realise he was really there. "Sorry, I'm just... having a moment to myself. Did you need something?"

"I uh..." Taylor hesitated, looking to the snow covered ground, as he slowly stepped closer to her. "I just wanted to say thankyou." He said quickly, saying the first thing they came to mind.

"For what?" The tour guide asked, her brows furrowing in confusion, as she finally turned towards him.

"For everything you've done." He said, hoping the hastily fumbled words sounded sincere. "You're just here because its your job..." He said quietly, recalling the way she had robotically obeyed Rourke's orders, back during their mission to rescue Diego. "But," he said suddenly, thinking back to when she had waited for them to pass her trap at The Celestial, saving them from their pursuers."You've risked your life to save us, again and again... We'd never have made it, if it wasn't for you." He said, the words feeling far more genuine to him. He smiled, holding out his hand to her. "Thank you. Seriously."

"Oh!" Lila gasped, her usually perky expression falling somewhat from his sincere speech. "I mean..." She hedged uncomfortably, her eyes glistening with tears. Taylor realised, with a sudden bolt of clarity, that she'd been overcome with emotion. She smiled, reaching out to take his hand, but when her skin touched his own; he found himself squirreled away to a different time.

Although he remained in the same spot outside the resort, the music of a live, string band washed over him, impressing him with the realisation that he had unwittingly, travelled backwards through time. Behind him, in the resort, dozens of Rourke employees mingled in expensive suits and gowns. A familiar face, though looking just a little younger, emerged from the building.

Lila walked through the snow, towards an elegantly dressed man, staring out at the horizon. "Admiring the view, Mr. Rourke?" She asked softly, bringing herself to a halt just behind him, staring not at the beautiful view; but merely the mans back.

"The stars, the snow, the dazzling lights..." Rourke relied vaguely, taking a deep breath, and expelling it in a loud sigh. "Truly, this island is unlike anything in the world."

"It's something special." Lila agreed gently, her eyes having never left the man, making her true feelings clear, if the man were but to look.

"If only you knew." Rourke said, a tinge of dark malevolence entering his voice, though Lila was blind to it, insted stepping blodly up beside him.

"Mr. Rourke," she said quietly, meeting his calculating gaze calmly. "You wanted to see me?"

"I did indeed." He said, eyeing her thoughtfully, before looking forward once more. "I've been reading your reports from the field.  _Remarkable_  work, especially, on Expedition Zeta." He said, flashing her a smug grin which made Taylor wish he could smack it from the mans face. "Protecting my shipment from raiders in the Red Sea, refusing to abandon ship? That takes dedication." He said, his gaze cutting to Lila, curious as to her response to his praise.

"Protecting the shipment was my job, sir." Lila said quietly, her eyes glittering in the night sky, overflowing with sincerity. "I take my job seriously."

 _"Mmmm."_  Rourke hummed, clicking his tongue thoughtfully. "Funny thing, that... You're not the strongest security officer on the force. Or, the brightest. Or the most resourceful..." He said frankly, the curl of his lips revealing that he took sick satisfaction from so blatantly taunting her, as she visibly flinched from his cruel words.  _"But..._  You might just be the bravest, most loyal person, I've  _ever_  employed." He added, his gaze turning calculating once more.

"Everywhere I go, rivals seek to undermine me. Sycophants, seek to elevate themselves." Rourke snarled, heedless of the girl in his blind derision of the 'common folk'. His gaze snapped to her, narrowing in contemplative thought. "But  _you..._  You're  _different._  So tell me;  _why?"_  He demanded, his hands grasping his jacket lapels firmly as he stood imperiously, looming over her. "Why, are you so faithful?"

"I... that is-" Lila stammered, her words failing her under the mans intense gaze. "I mean-" She hedged, biting her lip on frustration briefly, looking at the floor as she searched her heart. "I haven't had the easiest life, sir..." She began hesitantly, narrowing her eyes in thought as she reached for the truth within her. "I... lost my whole family, when I was little. The foster home was... it was bad.  _Really_  bad." She admitted, raising her eyes to the stars, watching them glitter behind the gently falling snow. "Being a teen wasn't a lot better. I got mixed up with the wrong people... I  _hurt_  people. I stole things." She confessed shamefully, forcing herself to meet the mans thoughtful gaze.

 _"Mm."_  Rourke hummed, the confession sparking a light within his eyes which made Taylor feel nauseous. "I see."

"I ended up on the streets at eighteen." Lila continued with a light blush, unaware of how her honest recounting of her life was being twisted to the older mans advantage in his head. "That's when your recruiter found me... Offered me the job of my dreams." She sighed, chuckling fondly sat the memory. "I assumed it was too good to be true, but it didn't matter. I'd given up. I figured, I'd die somewhere along the way, and no one would know or care." She confessed, her eyes softening as she stared at him with blatant devotion. "But then I met  _you,_  sir. I learned about the world you want to make." She said, a single tear running down her cheek.

"I believe, sir." She said imploringly, her eyes shimmering with her dedication and honest desire to belong. "I believe in you. I believe what you're doing here, what you're creating... will make a better future. A better tomorrow." She said emphatically, shaking her head in awe. "Your project, this island... You're fixing the world. Saving  _every_  little girl; like me." She said, closing her eyes in wonder, as Rourke reached out, and tenderly brushed away her lonely tear. "All I ever wanted, was to have something to live for... And  _you've_  given me that." She whispered, leaning her cheek into his lingering touch, as she opened her eyes and met his gaze guilelessly.

"I'm...  _moved._  Truly. And that's not something I say often." Rourke said, though Taylor could see through the carefully arranged expression on the mans face. "I asked you this question, because I might have a job for you..." He said slowly, leading her into his honeyed web with hollow gestures of affection.

"Sir..?" She gasped, her eyes wide at the possibility of taking direct orders from the man she so worshipped.

"A man in my position, sometimes requires... A  _special,_  assistant." Rourke said slowly, pausing just long enough to make him appear hesitant. "Someone, unafraid to do what needs to be done. Someone who doesn't blink." He said, pausing to let his words settle in her mind. "If you accept, you'll be sent dangerous places. You'll be given challenging assignments." He said lightly, weaving his words with a silver tongue, tempting and ensnaring the impressionable young girl. "You'll turn your body into a weapon. When necessary, you'll stain your hands with the blood of those, who wish to ruin everything, we've worked for." He said, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully, when she didn't even bat her eyelashes at his words. "But, I can only trust you, if you trust me; absolutely.  _Unquestioningly."_  He said, raising his brow at her calm expression. "So... Do you?"

Lila stared at the man intently, her eyes filled with the conviction of her beliefs, and her devotion to the man she idolized. "... Yes, Mr. Rourke." She said quietly, nodding her head in a single, slow motion. "I do."

With a flash, Taylor was yabked back to the present, and he jerked his hand away from Lila's with an almost violent force. "What's wrong?" Lila asked, her eyes filled with concern, as she looked over at him.

Taylor shook his head, his heart racing as he tried to process everything he'd seen, and without the aide of a catalyst idol at that. "Nothing I... I just..." He hedged, running his hand through his hair as he tried to separate his feelings.  _On the one hand, she's blindly devoted to Rourke... He thought, his body trembling from shock. On the other... She genuinely cares for us, somewhere inside. Maybe, if we can keep chipping away at the armour, at the training... She might wake up to the madness; just like Imogen, and Olivia_. He thought, shaking his head again as he tried to paint a smile on his face. "I'm sorry, Lila. Just... Cold hands, is all."

"Well, I've always said I'm cold blooded!" Lila teased, a wide smile spreading across her face, but faltering slightly when Taylor choked. Before he could say anything however, Raj poked his head through the door.

"Hey!" He called, waving them over hurriedly. "There's just a few minutes 'til midnight!" He said, all but squirming woth excitement.

"Does this mean it's time for your 'special surprise'?" Taylor asked, laughing lightly at the welcome distraction.

"The one I'm sure is perfectly  _safe,_  and have  _no_  reason to worry about?" Lila asked, worrying her lip despite her words, as she stared at Raj with wide eyes.

 _"Mmm..._  more or less!" He agreed, a cheeky grin flashing across his face. "Come on, everyone's up on the roof! Bring your champagne!" He said, before disappearing faster than Taylor believed should be possible for someone so large.

He shook his head fondly, but hesitated briefly, before taking a deep breath and deciding that the time to let things pass him by; had passed. "Lila..?" He called tentatively, gnawing his lip briefly as the tour guide paused in the doorway, turning back to face him.

"Yes, Taylor?" She asked, a noticeable tenseness in her stance, which told him she hadn't entirely bought his cold hands explanation.

"I just..." He hedged, before swallowing his nerve and pressing on. "I just hope you know how much we've come to care, and appreciate you... There's going to be hard times in our  _very_  immediate future, I know that... But I'm just... I'm glad, that we could spend time together like this." He said, offering her a small smile as he walked towards the door.

"Like... what?" Lila asked uncertainly, glancing around the decorations. "You mean taking a break from the New Year's party?"

"No," he said quietly, shaking his head minutely and glancing over his shoulder, as his soft smile grew. "I mean  _all_  of us; as a  _family."_  He said, forcing himself to head inside without waiting to see her reaction.  _I just have to hope that's enough of an incentive_. He thought, stealing in a deep breath, as he trotted up the stairs after the impatiently waiting Raj.

The large boy led Taylor and Lila up to the roof deck and hot tub, where their friends were waiting to see in the New Year. "Hurry!" Raj cheered, waving his hands excitedly. "It's about to go down!"

"Ha!" Craig smirked, fist bumping his friends from where he sat at the edge of the hot tub with Zahra, the pair of them dangling their feet into the water. "They ain't ready for the master plan!"

"Uh, guys..." Michelle asked cautiously, her eyes wide as she stared at the edge of the roof. "What  _is_  all this?" She asked, gesturing to a series of red, chemical sticks, lined up along the roof edge.

"Are those..." Jake yelped incredulously, his eyes widening as he recoiled in shock.  _"Flares?!"_

"Yup!" Raj said, beaming around the shell shocked group. "One of those Arachnid, commando dudes dropped a bag full of 'em!"

"Me and Raj had the idea to use them as  _fireworks!"_  Craig explained, frowning when Zahra whacked him round the ear with a scowl, shaking her head in blatant disbelief.

"So right now, we're hiding from a death squad; of highly  _trained,_  highly  _equipped_  mercenaries..." Estela said carefully, her gaze calm as she flitted between the two curiously. "...and you're plan, is to shoot off a bunch of flares, right over our location?" She asked, as Craig and Raj's jaws dropped.

"Okay, see..." Craig admitted, rubbing the back of his neck guiltily. "When you put it like that, I can see there's a definite flaw in the master plan..."

"Aw, okay..." Raj sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Sorry, guys. No fireworks this year..." He said, putting his hands in his pockets and trudging for the stairs.

 _"Wait!"_  Grace cried, pointing excitedly.  _"Look!"_  She gasped, staring into the distance where the mountain range was lit up in shimmering colours. Taylors breath caught, as a pulsing warm red and a brilliant blue, alternated across the sky, splashing the white mountain tops with colour.

"What  _is_  that?" Sean asked, his eyes wide as he stared out in awe, at the shimmering light display.

 _"Jake..!"_  Taylor breathed, his eyes seeking out the pilot, a warm glow in his heart at the recurrence of the amazing sight. "Didn't we see this before?!"

"Sure did." The pilot confirmed, his eyes wide as he stared up at the softly shining lights in the sky, just as awed as he was the first time. "In the airstrip control tower, right after we landed." He said, his gaze lowering to meet Taylors once more.

"Ah, the lights of Vaanu." Varyyn said, looking up at the display with a soft smile. "They are very beautiful... My people believe they are a sign of good fortune to come."

"Heh, we could use some of that." Jake snorted, winking over at Taylor, as he bit his lip shyly, recalling the first time his hand had slid into Jake's.

"You know what... I think its the Doppler effect!" Grace gasped, staring at the display with wide, thoughtful eyes.

"Huh? Doppler?" Craig repeated, frowning over at the dark skinned girl curiously. "Like, the Weather Channel stuff?"

"When something, like a distant star, moves really fast toward you; it tints blue, from the change in the lights wavelength." Grace explained eagerly, her fingers tapping together excitedly.

"Ah, yes, and it tints red; when it moves very fast away from you." Aleister concluded, smiling at Grace proudly.

"But, the mountains aren't moving." Estela said, glancing over as if to make sure the mountains were still where they should be.

"No," Grace giggled, her eyes crinkling in amusement. "But, if time is dilating, or contracting between us... Then relativity could have the same effect!"

"Huh." Jake hummed, looking at the sky thoughtfully. "So,  _that's_  what it was, back at the airstrip..." He pondered aloud, before looking over at Taylor with a crooked grin. "I dunno about  _you,_  Taylor... But I'm gonna stick with Blues Clues over here." He said, gesturing toward Varyyn with his chin, much to the Elyyshar's surprise. The pilot glanced at him, tipping his head in a slight nod, before looking back at Taylor intently. "I want that good luck." He said, winking at Taylor, who felt his heart swell with such affection, he had to press a hand over it, for fear it might burst right out of his chest.

"Well, it's not fireworks, but it's close enough for me!" Raj cheered, his bright grin returning, as he glanced down at his watch excitedly. "Fifteen seconds to midnight!" He cried, and Taylor smiled, as his eyes met Jake's across the crowd of his friends.

He sidled his way over to the pilot, weaving through his friends quickly in his eagerness. "Mind if I join you?" He asked innocently, raising a brow as he tried to fight a grin.

"Was hopin' you'd say that..." Jake said quietly, a wolfish grin curling his lips as he waggled his eyebrows.

" _Ten..! Nine_..!" Raj called, beginning the countdown to midnight, as he threw both arms in the air and beamed a huge grin around his friends.

 _"Eight..! Seven_..!" Sean joined in with a huge grin of his own. Lila joined in with a giggle, looking around everyone with a fond smile, and Taylor wondered how much of what he'd said, had sunk in. " _Six..! Five..!"_

" _Four..! Three_..!" Diego cheered, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he waved at Taylor ecstatically.

" _Two..! One_..!" Taylor laughed, as everyone erupted into loud cheers and hugs.

 _"Happy New Year!_ " Grace cheered, clapping her hands together excitedly, as an arm snaked its way around Taylors waist.

"Come here." Jake demanded lowly, his grin never fading as he pulled Taylor close, and cupped his cheek in his palm. "I've been waitin' for this;  _all day."_  He murmured, and without any further hesitation, he kissed Taylor deeply; stealing his breath, scattering his thoughts, and making his heart race with joy and desire combined. "Happy New Year, Boy Scout." He said quietly, a wide grin on his face, as he drew back sometime later.

"Happy New Year, Top Gun." Taylor returned quietly, his hands resting on Jake's shoulders, their foreheads touching, as they basked in each others close proximity.

Nearby, Varyyn and Diego watched the lights together, and Taylor sniggered, drawing away from Jake slightly as he gestured at Diego's stuff posture. "So, uh... these mean good luck, huh?" He asked awkwardly, his fingers toying with his long hair.

"Yes." Varyyn said certainly, staring at the lights thoughtfully. "And I know they are always true."

"How?" Diego asked, frowning as he turned to look at the Vaanti king, his eyes widening as Varyyn turned toward him at the same moment.

"This tradition of yours. Kissing at midnight." Varyyn demanded, ignoring Diego's question as he leaned against the rooftop railing with one hand.

"Well,  _ahem,_  its not.." Diego stammered, his eyes wide as he flushed and flounders for words. "I mean, it's not like,  _my_  tradition..."

"May I kiss you?" Varyyn asked, cutting Diego off from his nervous ramblings.

Diego stared at Varyyn for a second which felt like and eternity, and Taylor bit his lip as he watched, his fingers curling in Jake's waistcoat with excitement. Finally, Diego nodded weakly. "...  _Yeah..."_  He whispered breathlessly, and immediately, Varyyn leaned in to tenderly kiss Diego on the lips.

 _"Woo!"_  Raj cheered ecstatically, as Taylor buried his face in Jake's shirt and laughed, relieved the pair had finally taken their flirting to the next level. "You go, Diego! Get it!"

Taylor surfaced from Jake's chest to the pilots amused gaze, as he nodded to something behind him. Taylor turned to see Aleister scrath the back of his head nervously, before walking up behind Grace.  _"Ahem,_  Grace? I was just curious if-" he began formally, only to be stunned into silence by an impatient Grace; who threw her arms around his neck and, getting up on her tiptoes, pressed a determined kiss to his lips.  _"Erm!"_  He coughed, as Grace finally let him go.

"I  _like_  when you're curious." She giggled, stepping back to shyly bite her lip.

Taylor snorted in , and was about to turn back to his pilot, when he caught sight of Craig and Zahra, sat side by side with their legs in the bubbling jets of the hot tub still. "Look at all these  _dorks,_  makin' put." Zahra snorted, shaking her head at the display before them.

"Heh. Yeah." Craig sniggered, glancing sideways at her, before looking back at their friends. "Who does that?"

 _"Dumb_  people." Zahra sneered, narrowing her eyes at Taylor, as he waved at her innocently.

 _"So_  dumb." Craig agreed, nodding his head lightly, as they turned to look at each other. Their faces close, they held each others gazes for a longmoment, before finally, Zahra sighed in defeat.

"... To hell with it." She murmured, leaning in to passionately kiss Craig. The jock reacted instantly, drawing her closer and refusing to let go, his relief palpable in the air around them.

"Ha ha!" Sean cried, slapping his hand against his arm, before pointing at them victoriously. "I  _knew_  it! I freakin'  _knew_  this would happen!" He cheered, echoing Taylors excitement.

He looked back at Jake, his eyes alight with joy, and the pilot rolled his eyes at his cocky attitude, leaning in to kiss him again and make him forget about his smugness. They separated when glasses were forcibly pressed into their hands, and the group raised a collective toast together. As Jake reluctantly moved away to help pack away the flares, Taylor found himself alone with Diego. They walked to the railing, leaning their arms against the top bar, as they watched the ethereal, entrancing lights.

"So..." Taylor said finally, nudging Diego with his shoulder. "What a night, huh?" He asked, grinning at Diego's shy expression of hopeful joy.

"Dude that was..." Diego sighed, and Taylor laughed at his friends awe struck sigh.

"Yeah buddy, I know." He sniggered, clapping Diego on the shoulder, as his friend rolled his eyes.

"You know," Diego said, after another moment of confortable silence had passed between them. "The night doesn't have to be over yet..."

"Why does it sound like you've got an idea?" Taylor asked, shaking his head as he sniggered at his friend.

"When we were exploring the lodge earlier, I found this  _amazing,_  cozy bedroom..." Diego said leadingly, glancing over pointedly. "With a really,  _really_  nice bed. If you catch my drift."

"Your drift is honestly hard to miss at this point, Diego." Taylor laughed, playfully shoving his friends shoulder.

"Okay, okay... I'm obvious." Diego admitted, dipping his head in acknowledgment. "I'm just  _saying;_  it seems like a nice night to spend with someone special..."

"Oh, so you're taking Varyyn?" Taylor drawled slowly, laughing when Diego flushed crimson, his eyes growing wide.

 _"What?!"_  He yelped, stepping back from the rail and waving his hands back and forth across his chest. "Dude, he just kissed me like... Less than... Dude, we are  _so_  not at that point!" Diego finally huffed, hiding his red face in his hands as Taylor leaned his forehead against his arms on the rain, laughing heavily.

"Oh, man..." He sniggered, straightening and stepping back from the railing to turn towards Diego. "Your face dude,  _priceless."_

"You know, I was being  _nice!"_  Diego pouted, and Taylor snorted, folding his arms over his chest and raising a brow. "Okay,  _fine;_  I was also using it as a way to repay you for ambushing you earlier..." He admitted, grinning unashamedly, as Taylor rolled his eyes. "But seriously dude, its a  _beautiful_  room. You want it... or not?" He asked, and Taylor bit his lip, glancing over at where Jake was talking with Sean and Craig.

"Where is it?" He asked, grinning when Diego laughed victoriously.

"Top floor, far end of the right hallway. Can't miss it." Diego said, taking a slow step backwards, as he gave a very rough salute and wink.

Taylor laughed, running a hand through his hair, as his stomach fluttered in excited anticipation. He took a deep breath and smiled, walking over to Jake and taking his hand. "Come on." He said, tugging at Jake's hand insistently, ignoring Sean and Craig's blatant sniggering.

"Where we going?" Jake asked, a slow grin blossoming on his face, as he ran his eyes quickly over Taylor, and raised an expectant brow.

"It's a surprise." Taylor said with a proud grin, as he winked at his pilot suggestively.

"Hopefully  _not,"_  Jake snorted, finally allowing himself to be dragged away, throwing a cocky salute to the others as they walked to the stairs. "Because I have some  _very_  high hopes, for something in particular." He said, and Taylor smirked, certain he was able to feel the pilots gaze on him.

He led Jake down the stairs, to the room which Diego had told him about. He rolled his eyes, upon finding a blazing fire burning before a rug, it's light mixing with the moons from the window.  _He must have just beat us_... He thought fondly, reminding himself to thank Diego when he saw him in the morning. He bit his lip, as his eyes fell upon the luxury, canopy bed awaiting them by the hearth.

 _"Damn."_  Jake whistled, his eyes wide as he looked around the room, his hand slipping free of Taylors as he stepped inside. "Nice digs." The pilot paused by the nightstand, opening the drawer and rummaging inside briefly. "You see this? There's a dusty old notepad in here..."

"Gee, Top Gun, that's  _so_  interesting; and  _just_  what I was hoping for too!" Taylor snarked, closing the door behind him, and turning the lock. He sniggered as Jake shot him a playful scowl, and kicked off his shoes. "Does it say anything?" He asked, walking up behind the pilot to peek over his shoulder.

" _Regarding the new junior researcher; I feel like I recognise her from somewhere..._ " Jake read aloud, frowning at the note curiously. " _Do another background check, and get me her history. E."_  He said, shrugging in disinterest.

"E, for Everett, I'd guess." Taylor said, as Jake set the note aside, before turning to pull Taylor in closer, kissing him deeply. Taylor felt his heart pound furiously against his ribs, his hands slowly trailing up the pilots arms, feeling their hard muscle. "You seem tense." He whispered, drawing away to look up at Jake with an affectionate gaze. "Here." He said, pulling him to the bed, and clambering on to sit behind him. He ran his hands along the pilots shoulder, leaning forward to press a kiss to then back of his neck, before he began to massage his shoulders.

"Hot damn, Boy Scout, you're a  _miracle_  worker." Jake groaned, rolling his head forward to allow Taylor better access. Taylor worked silently for a time, freeing tensed muscles and trying to sooth his pilot as best he could.

"Are you stressed out about your old team showing up?" He asked quietly, working at a stubborn knot between Jake's shoulder blades.

"Not exactly a  _happy_  reunion." Jake snorted, throwing a crooked grin into the fireplace, before his eyes hardened in determination. "But like I said, I'll handle 'em." He said darkly, his shoulders beginning to tense again. "That's a  _promise."_

"A  _Jake McKenzie_  guarantee?" Taylor asked, grinning widely when Jake huffed in amusement, his shoulders relaxing again.

"At the very least," Jake said his wide grin returning, along with his cocky attitude. "If I go down, I'm taking the  _lot_  of 'em with me."

Taylor froze mid-massage, his heart lurching painfully at the thought. His thoughts turned to the people who had destroyed Jake's life, and he couldn't deny the man the opportunity to wioe them out if it arose. He thought of Mike briefly, Jake's murdered best friend; but the sting of jealously flared, and he hastily pushed everything away, instead leaning forward to wrap his arms around Jake's shoulders tightly. "Not  _alone,_  you won't." He muttered, his words obscured by the pilots hair. He shifted his chin, resting it on Jake's shoulder, as he continued softly. "Anyone who messes with  _you..._  messes with  _me."_

"It's like that, huh?" Jake asked, his hands raising to Taylors, rubbing them affectionately. "We're ride or die?" He added, a smirk on his face as he kissed Taylors fingers.

"I thought we'd already established that..?" Taylor whispered, his nose brushing against the pilots ear, before he grinned widely and sniggered. "Tonight specifically, though? We're  _definitely_  the first part." He said, releasing his hold on the pilot, as Jake turned around to face him. The glow of the fire burnt in his eyes, as he ran them over Taylor slowly.

"You are wearing  _entirely_  too much clothing right now." He said seriously, prowling closer as he knelt on the bed.

"Someone should fix that." Taylor giggled quietly, grinning at Jake with feigned wonder. "But you know... so are  _you."_  He said, before Jake surged forward, kissing him passionately. As Taylors mouth opened beneath Jake's, they reached blindly for each others clothing, tearing buttons free in their haste. Taylor loosened the pilots tie, taking a desperate breath only when they parted to pull their upper garments over each others heads.

Jake maneuvered to lay Taylor down, when he pivoted and rolled to sit atop him with a snigger. "This is how it's gonna go, huh?" Jake snorted with a broad grin, his hands squeezing Taylors bare thighs, before sliding slowly up his sides.

Taylor grinned, and waggled his brows briefly, before he leaned down to kiss him; reaching up to the bedposts while his pilot couldn't see. "Hey,  _what?!"_  He yelped, looking back to realize that Taylor had tied his wrists with his tie and belt.

"No touching..." Taylor said with a smirk, winking at Jake as he kissed his chest quickly.  _"Yet."_

"Oh, you're  _so_  bad..." Jake groaned, staring up at Taylors proud grin as he straddled him, rocking his hips against the pilots teasingly.  _"Holy..."_  he murmured, his eyes widening as Taylor bit his lip, feeling himself flush with desire and power under his pilots awed expression.

 _"Hmm..."_  Taylor hummed, smirking wickedly and shifting backwards to press a trail of kisses across Jake's chest, enjoying the way his pilot strained upwards in an attempt to maintain as much skin contact as he could. He flicked his eyes upward, as he lowered his mouth to Jake's cock, kissing his way down the shaft to the base.

 _"Taylor..."_  Jake breathed, his hips rocking upwards as Taylor smiled, and slowly sucked his way along the other side of the hard flesh, his tongue curling around the head briefly before he placed a soft kiss to the tip. Jake growled deep in his throat, seeking more as he rolled his hips upward, but Taylor was already moving back up his body with feathered kisses. His hard cock rocked against Jake's, as he littered the pilots throat with teasing nips and licks.

Finally he straddled him fully, sitting up straight as he rocked his hips at a languid pace, watching his pilots every reaction intently. "Fu-" Jake cursed, involuntarily struggling against his bonds lightly, unable to resist the urge to try and touch Taylor. His head rose from the pillow, as he watched himself move with Taylors body, desperately trying to speed up.

Taylor couldn't fight the mischievous smile which rose to his lips, as he resisted Jake's speed, and instead moved agonizingly slow. "Ohh," Jake groaned, his head falling back tot he pillow in frustration. "This is just  _torture,_  babe." He said, and Taylors stomach flipped at the endearment, his heart crashing loudly in his ears.

He smiled, his fingers tracing Jake's abdomen lightly, as he slowly rocked his hips once more.  _"Good."_  He murmured, before biting his lip to stifle a small moan, his own body relishing the pleasure which saturated his every move against the pilot.

Jake gave in with a groan, overwhelmed by Taylors incessant teasing. He closed his eyes, and Taylor was briefly disappointed that he could no longer see the flames of desire in them, but as he watched Jake focus on the feelings he created with his movements, he found the pilot to be just as expressive still. "This is too intense... You're too good-" Jake breathed, his body arching beneath Taylors.

Taylor sniggered, his eyes flicking down as he raised his hips and grazed his ass over the head of Jake's cock, earning a gasped groan, as the pilots chest hitched suddenly. "Don't hold back." He said breathlessly, grinning as he repeated the motion. He shifted again, once more rocking his hard cock against his pilots, gussing at the friction between them. "We've got time to recharge..." He said quietly, biting his lip as he watched Jake lose himself to the pleasure he offered him.

I-" Jake gasped suddenly, his eyes snapping open as he flashed a wolfish grin up at him.  _"Gotcha."_  He sniggered with a cocky wink, as Taylor yelped in surprise. Before he realised what had happened, Jake had flipped them, having slipped free from his bonds.

 _"Hey!_  How did you-!" Taylor laughed, only to be silenced by a firm kiss which left him utterly breathless. He grinned when Jake released him, his face hovering above Taylors, as he smirked down at him.

"My secret." The pilot murmured, drawing back as he held up his tie with a cocky, but thoughtful grin. "You want a turn?" He asked as Taylor sniggered and pulled him down into another kiss. Jake's tongue stroked against his own, as he rocked against him with a slow building urgency.

The fireplace smoldered and crackled, the sounds muffled to Taylor, beneath his frantic heart beat. He moaned, raising his hips to meet Jake's firm rocks against him, gasping as the pilot tore his mouth free to trail a path of blazing kisses along his jaw. "You about ready for your encore, Boy Scout?" He murmured, and Taylor laughed breathlessly, as Jake slid his hands along his sides, raising his arms over his head.

"I dunno, might take a lot of encouragement..." He said, smiling as he gripped the bedpost tightly, his eyes locked onto Jake's as the pilot lightly looped his tie around his wrists.

"Hmm," Jake hummed, rolling him over to his stomach and covering him with his body, his lips against his war as he rocked himself against Taylor briefly. "I'll get right on that..." He husked, dipping to kiss along Taylors throat.

Taylor bit his lip, his back arching towards the pilot, as he kissed over his shoulders and along his spine. His hands kneaded his ass, massaging the rounded globes, before parting them.  _"Aah..!"_  Taylor gasped, pressing his rapidly heating face into a pillow, as Jake's hot tongue swiped across his entrance. He rocked his hips back, as Jake's rumble of laughter seemed to vibrate through his body, lighting his nerves and fanning the flames of desire in his gut.

 _"Jake!"_  He groaned, pressing his hard cock against the sheets, seeking friction as Jake's tongue pressed into him.  _"Mmmm..!"_  He panted, his shoulders hunching as he raised himself to his elbows, raising his head to glance over his shoulder. He groaned, hardly able to see, but imagining he could all the same. He rolled his hips back against Jake, whose tongue slipped deeper past his tight ring, wriggling insistently against the sensitive flesh.

"Jake..." He moaned, facing forward again and squeezing his eyes shut, focusing on the steady thrum of pleasure which emanated from Jake's ministrations, to fill his entire body.  _"Aah... Jake..!"_  He gasped, as his stomach swirled with heat, a coil of fire spiralling through his gut as he rocked himself back against Jake's tongue more urgently.

"Hmm..." Jake hummed, and a loud moan tore itself from Taylors throat, as the vibrations rocketed through him in waves. He pressed his forehead to his arms, panting heavily as Jake retreated, pressing his strong body against Taylors back only moments later.  _"See,_  Boy Scout..?" He teased smugly, placcibg a soft, scratchy kiss to his shoulder. "Knew you had it in ya." He said, rocking his hard flesh against Taylors ass.

 _"Jake, ple-"_  Taylor choked, half turned to look over his shoulder, when Jake's lips descended upon his hungrily. Taylor groaned, as Jake kissed him passionately, his cock gliding into him as he rocked his hips forward. He moaned, as Jake began at a teasing pace, his hips moving slowly but firmly against him. The pilot freed his hands, and one immediately reached back, diving into the pilots hair and pulling him closer.  _"Jake-"_  he whispered, biting his lip as they parted, sucking in air in rapid pants. Jake littered his shoulder with bites and kisses, his hand sliding down Taylors side to curl over his hip, holding him still as he increased his movements.

Taylor gasped, his body awash with rapturous pleasure, as Jake feverishly kissed along his shoulders and neck. The pilots chest rumbled with a consistent growl, as he moved with Taylor, driving them both to their peak. He tilted Taylors chin towards him, capturing his lips desperately as his hips began to stutter within him, his hand moving from Taylors hip to his cock. He groaned, stroking Taylor haltingly as his cock flooded his ass with warmth.

Taylor hummed desperately, biting the pilots lip as he followed him to his own climax. As his mind clouded with a haze of pleasure, he was vaguely aware of his pilot smirking against his lips, amused by his blissful expression. "Life with you, is a real roller coaster, huh?" He hummed, as he recovered his breath.

 _"Urgh,"_  Taylor groaned, wrinkling his nose. "You've been saving that all night, haven't you?" He said, as he curled into the pillow, arching back against the pilot contently.

"Maybe a little," Jake admitted with a guilty chuckle, his breath tickling across Taylors hot skin, as he grazed his teeth over his shoulder.

"You're a bad,  _bad_  man..." He said tiredly, as Jake sniggered against the side of his throat.

"That so..?" He asked, as he shifted back, allowing Taylor to roll over in his arms and kiss his chest. "That mean you didn't enj-"

"Shut up and let me recharge." Taylor huffed, as a slow, mischievous grin curled across his lips and he wiggled his eyebrows. "Then  _maybe_  I'll let you do it again."

"Heh..." Jake grinned, saluting him roughly as his expression softened with affection. "Yes,  _sir."_  He sniggered, before they mutually sank into another deep kiss, entwining themselves together once more in sleepy affection, until finally giving in to exhaustion some time later.

When Taylor woke the following morning, it was to a delicious ache in his entire body, and he smiled as stretched himself with immense satisfaction. He lifted his head from Jake's chest, pressing a firm kiss to the pilots shoulder, before sitting up. He sniggered, as Jake groaned and rolled over, burying his head beneath the pillow and muttering about 'insatiable imps'. He smiled down at the pilot fondly, admiring the view, until his stomach made a loud noise of protest. He stood from the bed and moved away to find his clothes, throwing them on quickly. With a final look back at Jake, he stepped out of their room and into the hallway, intending to find some breakfast to bring back. However, when he turned around, he found himself face to face with Estela, who was clutching a piece of paper tightly in her palm.

"Estela?" He asked, surprised to see the normally fierce girl appearing so lost and uncertain.

Estela glanced away, her throat working nervously before she glanced up at him hesitantly. "I found it." She said quickly, her voice barely a whisper in its uncharacteristic fragility. "My mothers room... It's listed right here..." She said, waving the paper before his eyes, though her fingers were clamped too tightly around it to let him read it. "She was here on New Year's... Six years ago. Rom two-seven-eight." She said, nodding just down the hallway. "Right  _there..."_

 _"Whoa..."_  Taylor huffed, running a hand through his hair tiredly, his heart reaching out to the girl. He frowned when Estela fidgeted awkwardly, before realising her hesitation. "Would you like me to-?"

"Yeah," she said quickly, her shoulders sagging in relief, before tensing again. "I mean, if you still-"

"I do." Taylor said, taking her hand and leading her down the hall to the door, stopping outside to look at it tensely. Estela took a deep breath, reaching into her pocket and drawing out a keycard. She hesitated, hand extended but not swiping the card due to her heavy nerves. "Estela," he said softly, squeezing her hand encouragingly. "Let's  _do_  this."

"You're... Really with me?" She asked, biting her lip as she looked up at him, unusually vulnerable.

 _"All the way_." He said, smiling brightly to encourage her. Estela stared for a moment, before looking to the door again and sucking in a huge breath.

 _"All the way_." She repeated, swiping the card. The door clicked open, and the two of them stepped inside to find a standard hotel room.

"Mine was  _way_  better." Taylor muttered, and Estela snorted, her tense posture sagging at his light tease, the normalcy of his comment settling her nerves.

"Is that just because you had Jake f-" she began to ask, her brow raised curiously.

"No, it was  _not._  Although that was a very definite bonus. Very,  _very_  good bonus..." He said, his gaze fogging with remembrance briefly, before he shook his head and cleared his throat, looking around the room properly.

Estela fell silent, as they examined the tody room; from the neatly made bed, to the crisply folded sheets in the corner. There was no sign of any inhabitants, past, or present. "Huh." She sighed at last, her head cocking curiously.

"What is it?" He asked, as she freed her hand from his and ran it through her bangs, frowning around the room emptily.

"I thought I'd feel something...  _Anything..."_  She confessed with a disillusioned huff, shaking her head at herself as she sat on the edge of the bed. "But... Nothing."

"Estela, I..." Taylor hedged, only to fall silent, as he watched her eyes widen in surprise.

"Wait..." She gasped, staring at something behind him. "What the  _hell?!"_  She wondered aloud, her face morphing into a suspicious frown.

Taylor followed her gaze, turning to see a runic sigil of a dragon had been burnt into the wall. He immediately looked away, his heart racing as he recognised the mark; and it sparked a familiar unease within his gut.  _"Whoa..."_  He breathed, shaking his head to clear away the insistent wriggle of something at the back of his mind. "Estela, isn't that the stamp on the dossier Rourke had for you?" He asked, trying to distract himself from his bodies strange reaction.

"Yeah..." She said thoughtfully, rising from the bed and approaching the symbol cautiously. "Draco, the dragon constellation." She said, reaching out to touch the sigil. "When they cleaned up the room after my mother, they would've painted over this..." She said, her eyes meeting Taylors as understanding passed between them.

"Then, this must have been made long after." Taylor concluded, frowning as he pondered the sigil and its significance. "But, what does it  _mean?_  Why is it there?"

"I think it's marking something..." Estela said, pressing down against the wall. A secret panel clicked, and sprang open, revealing a hidden camera.

"Did..." Taylor gasped, his eyes wide as they darted between Estela's frozen expression of shock, and the camera which caused it. "Did your mother..?"

"I... I don't know." Estela choked, staring in disbelief as she shook her head and swallowed heavily. "But, I'm going to find out." She said fiercely, her expression morphing to a determined scowl, as she reached into the back if the camera and unhooked a flash drive. She walked over to the TV, and put it into a slot in the side.

"Hang on, Estela," Taylor said hesitantly, the sense of unease in his gut growing to an ominous foreboding. "Maybe we should wait, and-" but before he could finish voicing his concerns, the TV was on and running.

He watched as the screen cleared to reveal a view of the same room they stood in, but from the angle of the hidden camera. The date stamped across the bottom, read December thirty first, two thousand and eleven. He narrowed his eyes, peering at a woman, who was sat on the bed, staring towards the door while wearing a concerned frown. "So..?" She asked in nervous hope, "how'd it go?"

Even without feeling Estela tremble beside him, Taylor would have known the woman to be her mother; Olivia Montoya. Her hair, though shorter and curly, was the same dark brown. Her facial features were remarkably similar, merely without the scar over one eye. "...  _Mom?"_  Estela croaked brokenly, and Taylor immediately clasped her hand in support, squeezing tightly as their eyes remained glued to the screen.

A second woman entered the frame, and Taylor felt apprehension almost crush his heart, as she sat beside Estela's mother on the bed. "He did it, Olivia." Lila said, smiling warmly at the other woman, though taylor already knew; her warmth was a lie. "He offered me the job. I'm gonna be his special assistant."

"Yes!" Olivia cheered, a huge smile of relief flooding her face, making it seem younger in it's joyful expression. "Now, you're free to come and go from La Huerta as you please..!" She sighed, clasping Lila on the shoulder warmly. "Now, you can go out into the world, and spread the truth! And maybe...  _maybe_  you can even smuggle me out of here..." She said hopefully, biting her lip excitedly.

"About that..." Lila said hesitantly, her brow creasing in concern. "Are you  _sure..._  You want to do this?"

"Lila, I  _told_  you what his plans are!" Olivia said, scowling at the other woman in disgust. "What he's been doing. All the people he's hurt...  _killed."_  She said, shivering at the very thought. She reached into a hidden compartment in her bag, and drew out a small plastic thumb drive.

"This is...  _everything?"_  Lila asked, swallowing heavily as she looked down at the tiny drive with a heavy gaze.

"All the evidence I've gathered so far, yes." Olivia confirmed, staring down at the drive sadly. "Everything he's really doing here. Everything he plans to do..."

"Such a small thing..." Lila said in a small voice, her eyes flickering with confliction briefly, before steeling with a cold sheen.

"But big enough." Olivia giggled, turning a wide grin to the other woman. "You just need to get it to a journalist."

Lila shook her head, glancing away momentarily, before turning back to her friend. "I'm scared for you, Olivia." She said quietly, and her eyes held a sincerity which almost bordered on regretful. "You ask me to do this... there's no turning back." She said warningly, only for Olivia to smile softly, and pull her into a hug.

"Come on, Lila." She said, her expression hopeful as she gazed to the ceiling over Lila's shoulder. "We both knew, there was  _never_  any turning back."

"Yeah..." Lila sighed in resignation, holding her friend tighter briefly. "I guess, you're right." She said, just before a sudden bang nearly broke the TV's speakers.

 _"Kch..."_  Olivia coughed, her eyes widening as she huffed for breath.  _"Hff..."_  She gasped, pulling back from the hug and looking down. Even from the faintly fuzzy screen, Taylor could see the red stain spreading om her stomach; and the pistol, still smoking in Lila's hand.

"I'm sorry, Olivia..." Lila whispered regretfully, her hard gaze frosted with commiseration.

 _"Lila..."_  Olivia choked, her confused and broken by the level of betrayal she felt. "How...  _could_  you..." She stammered, as Lila stood up, and aimed the gun at Olivia's forehead.

"I  _told_  you to stop. I  _begged_  you!" Lila said, shaking her head in frustration.  _"Why_  did you have to betray him?!" She demanded, though she gave the other woman no chance to respond, as she looked away; and pulled the trigger again. Estela's mother crumpled to the bed, and moved no more.

Estela paused the image, and she sat beside Taylor in stunned silence, staring at the screen in disbelief. "Oh... Lila..." Taylor sighed forlornly, finally breaking free of his shock to rub his eyes, behind which, a permanent dull ache throbbed.

He looked up tiredly, to find Estela's eyes hardened with pure hatred and rage. Her hands balled into fists, as her nostrils flared. "Estela, I'm so-" Taylor was cut off by the sound of footsteps, and the two of them looked over to the door, to see Lila arrive with a tray of eggs and pancakes.

"Good morning, you two!" She said brightly, smilingly broadly as she spotted them. "I made everyone some breakfast!" She added excitedly, glancing curiously to the TV, to find the freeze framed image of herself, standing over Olivia Montoya's body. Her expression immediately turned cold, and she stood stiffly in the doorway, perfectly still except for her eyes; which moved slowly from the TV to Estela, who was quaking with rage.

Taylor looked between the two women, one a trained killer of dictators; the other a skilled assassin. He felt a pang of remorse for having left Jake in bed, knowing he personally would be able to do little to nothing, should he try to get between the two. He ran a hand over his face tiredly, and sighed.  _"Well, shit."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ps, should be easy to guess - but the song was Roller Coaster - by Bon Jovi <3  
> (really hope you didn't hate that part but its been repeating in my head so... it had to come out - sorry/not sorry!)


	12. Interim 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heehee, im pleased thisnis done; means we get to mlve onto the final third of this book! Omg... its been phenomenal so far. Im so excited.
> 
> Anyway, normally interim chapters arent too important - but the part about you know who in the second bit? I tried to make feel a little more personal to them... (me trying not to reveal too much incase someone hasnt played that part - unlikely though that is XD)
> 
> Anyway; hankypu soo much for reading! Cant wait to see you again asap on the new chapter xxx
> 
> x My love to you all x

_**Dear Jake;** _

_Pirates... Assassins... Sometimes I think the only thing we were really missing from our ragtag group, was the Jolly Green Giant himself..._

_I feel bad for Yvonne, in a way. I understand her better now, then I did at the time... She was manipulated too, another puppet to the machinations and whims of The Endless._

_As for Lila, well... I think her heart was ultimately in the right place... I think, she just lost sight of it for a little while. I like to think we helped her find it again though_...

**12.**

**Interim 5**

Lush green ferns parted, and Yvonne the Incorrigible stepped through, sweat heading on her skin. She slashed with the cutlass Taylor had returned to her, clearing away the foliage. "At least I have you, my dear Chou Chou..." She said in a heavily babied voice, winking at her blade as if it were sentient. "I owe Taylor a great deal, for bringing us back together..." She said, a brief flicker of guilt crossing her face, before she chuckled and grinned widely. "Not enough to stay and fight against that sea demon though, of course."

She sighed wistfully, as she cut herself a path through the luscious jungle, shaking her head in commiseration. "Taylor could've made quite the pirate one day... Such a pity they're all dead." She said lightly, reaching into her jacket and withdrawing the antique compass, which she'd tried to conceal having found in the Jewelled Cave. Its needle wavered briefly, before settling with its point straight ahead.  _"Tres bien_... I must be almost upon it." She muttered excitedly, and she quickly replaced the compass, as she pushed forward.

Through the tree canopy, she was able to see the craggy peak of Mount Atropo looming, casting the rainforest in shadow. At long last, the ground beneath her boots turned rocky, and the jungle began to thin around her. She swallowed heavily, finding herself before a massive dragons head, which was carved into the slope of the volcano. Its maw hung open, stairs rising between its huge fangs, and disappearing into its throat.

"At last... I've found it." She whispered, her face breaking out in a huge, smug grin. "The Fountain, is nearly in my grasp." She chuckled, and was just about to step put of the jungle, when she spotted movement from the corner of her eye. She slunk back into the underbrush, and saw someone emerge from the wilderness.

She pressed her hand to her mouth, stifling her scream of shock, as she beheld a strange, metallic demon of red armour.  _Qu'est-ce que c'est_? She thought incredulously, staring in wide eyed, fearful fascination at the being.  _What madness haunts me now?_  She wondered, as the crimson suited figure trudged up the stairs and into the cavern, tendrils of smoke billowing from its metal hand.

Perhaps this strange vision, can less me to my prize... She thought, carefully stealing out of the forest, and hurrying after the figure. She slipped behind a stone column to watch, as inside, lava poured from dragon heads, pooling and bubbling around a narrow path _. This... could be a problem_... She thought, as even from the great distance away, the heat stung her eyes.

Twelve pedestals sat in the river of lava, each perfectly circular, with a small indentation atop them. Beyond the end of the pathway, and open archway led into darkness. The crimson suit, walked forward to the end of the path; and then kept going. Its red boots sank into the lava, with no effect. The figure strolled through the ferocious heat, utterly unfazed.  _Mon dieu..!_  Yvonne thought, her eyed wide with awe, as the figure paused just before the archway.

"... Hello, Yvonne." The words came out with a static filled, bit-crushed sound, as if from an old speaker. Yvonne gasped and ducked back from the column, hiding deeper in the shadows, as the figure turned back slightly, addressing her over their shoulder. "Don't be shy."

Yvonne paused, taking several deep breathes to calm her racing heart, raising Chou Chou so she could press a kiss to the blade. "... As you wish." She said, her face slipping into a ferocious snarl, as she lunged out from her cover, brandishing her beloved cutlass. "I command you to take me to the Fountain! I  _know_  it is here!" She demanded, as the figure remained where it was; silent and still amid the lava. The orange glow of the room, reflected ominously off its faceplate.  _"Ha!_  Now who is shy?" She sneered, stepping further along the path, raising her cutlass threateningly. "I said; I command you to-"

"You need their help, Yvonne..." The metallic demon taunted her, and she frowned despite herself, here blade twitching lower from surprise.

"Wh-who?" She called, biting her lip indecisively, as she quickly approached the end of the path.

"...and,  _they_  need  _yours."_  The figure added, ignoring Yvonne's question as they faced forward again.

 _"Who_  needs my help?" She demanded, frowning as she recalled the only people she'd seen in recent days. "Those  _children?!"_

"Go north." The figure said slowly, their static filled voice echoing around the chamber ominously. "To the pillar." They added, stepping forward into the darkness beyond the arch.

 _"Wait!"_  Yvonne called desperately, pacing along the edge of the path, forced to stay back due to the boiling lava. "I have so many questions!"

The figure vanished from her sight, but its strangely metallic, electronic voice; carried back toward her easily. "You must hurry, Yvonne." The disembodied voice warned, its message ominous in nature, but delivered with obvious hope. " _Roulez a tombeau ouvert."_  They added, but with that, they were finally gone. Yvonne stood locked in place, wide eyed and stunned, before turning and sprinting out of the cavern as fast as she could.

 **Six months ago**...

The group stood in the rooftop garden of The Celestial, bunching together in fear. "Well, we're running out of time for a miracle." Zahra said as she peeked over the railing again. "They're almost here

Taylor frowned as he looked down at his shoes, closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead as his breath became laboured. "Taylor..?" Jake called quietly, his hands coming to rest on Taylors cheeks as he stepped closer.

"Indeed." Iris said, nodding her head at Zahra's proclamation. "You have approximately sixty seconds to escape."

Lila peered over the edge of the building, and saw the Hostiles, scaling the tower walls.

 **"Ba'kulaan!"**  Called a green skinned female, with an elephant mask, their strange tongue sounding like a feral snarl.

 _Oh no, oh no, oh no_... Lila thought, filled with a nervous energy, her usual desire to fight conflicting harshly with her newfound desire to protect the plucky group of kids she'd come to think of with fond familiarity.

"Man, I do  _not_  wanna go out like this." Diego groaned, freaking out as he too peeked over the railing. "I just wanna close my eyes and wake up when its all over." He said, shivering at the thought of jumping from the roof.

" _Wake up... when its all over_..." Taylor repeated haltingly in a whisper, his eyes slowly opening. " _Wait a second!_ " He cried, his eyes locking with Jake's, whose concern was clear as Taylor threw his arms around him and dug the portal gun from his waistband. "We'll use  _this!"_  He said, brandishing the weapon as he drew back from Jake, who frowned thoughtfully.

"It won't work, Taylor... There are too many of 'em." Sean said regretfully, shaking his head as he gestured towards the pilot. "Not even  _Jake_  could shoot them all quick enough..."

"Who said anything about shooting  _them?"_  Taylor asked with a cocky grin, waggling his eyebrows at the pilot, as a slow grin began to blossom across his face.

"Huh?" Estela frowned, her arms wrapped awkwardly around Diego's shoulders. "What are you...  _Ohhhh..!"_  She gasped, as understanding set in, quickly dropping her arms and stepping away from Diego in obvious relief.

"Hold on, you're talking about going through a portal,  _ourselves?!"_  Craig cried, his eyes wide as he unconsciously tugged Zahra closer to his side.

"We've got no idea where that thing might send us! Or  _when!"_  Michelle said, her hands tightening imperceptibly on Sean's shirt.

"Michelle is correct," Iris said thoughtfully, her blue eyes flashing rapidly as she tried to search for some scrap of information she'd missed. "I have no data suggesting where the portal would lead, or if you'd even survive... Thirty seconds."

"But... Taylors right." Sean said, his hands covering Michelle's as he walked them both over towards Taylor and Jake. "It's the only way we can all realistically get outta here together..." He added, eyeing the edge of the rooftop doubtfully.

 _The temporal perforator_! Lila thought, eyeing the gun in concern and worrying her lip.  _I can't let Taylor use it! We'd lose six months_! She thought desperately, as the group pulled into a tight circle pulled into a tight circle around Taylor. He aimed the gun at his feet, as Lila slunk to the edge of the group.  _But, I can't possibly protect them all... It's their only shot at surviving this_...

"Everybody, think positive!" She said loudly, shifting slightly as she prepared herself. Taylor frowned at her briefly, but before she could focus on him she had already continued with her encouragement. "Envision your goals!" She cried, her words inspiring the others to each give a brief farewell to each other.

"Hold on a sec, Boy Scout..." Jake said, leaning in close to steal a fiery kiss from Taylor, before drawing back with a satisfied grin. "Alright, I can die happy now."

"Five seconds remaining!" Iris cried worriedly, as Sean met Taylors eyes and nodded encouragingly.

"Do it." The athlete said, just as Estela warned, "Hang on, everyone!"

"Here's to adventure, eh, Taylor?" Diego asked, grinning at his friend as Taylor settled his finger on the portal guns trigger.

"Here's to adventure." He repeated, grinning back at his friend as he squeezed. The bubble formed around his legs, instantly expanding to swallow his friends, as they were all connected. Before it could capture Lila however, she rolled out of the way.

She gasped quietly, as she slipped away behind the garden shrubbery, thankfully unnoticed; as the group vanished in a blinding burst of light. She quickly set a timer on her wristwatch, hurriedly working out the math she needed to in her head to find the correct time.  _Forty two squared, times ten to the fourth... Okay, seventeen million, six hundred and forty thousand seconds_. She quickly tapped in, removing sixty seconds so she could be sure to arrive early, and sighing in relief when it was ready. And, start! She thought, crouching low and staying out of the approaching Hostiles sight, when she heard shouting.

"Get off!" Diego yelled, scowling as he fiercely attempted to free himself from the tight grip of a Hostile, and get closer to the edge; clearly intending to try and escape via his parasailing gear. "Get  _off_  of me!"

 **"Turqq pha cupaa**!" Demanded the Hostile leader, who held the end of a long vine rope, which was tightly snagged around Diego's torso.

Lila peeked through the ferns, and bit her lip as her eyes widened.  _No! They got Diego!_  She thought desperately, her heart racing as she calculated the odds of her being able to subdue the Hostiles and escape with Diego in their parasailing gear. _But... then I would have to explain why I didn't leave with the others too... And, I wouldn't be able to_ \- her thoughts broke off, her hands balling into angry fists, as the Hostiles' leader pinned Diego down, allowing the others to fan out in a search group.

"You won't fine 'em!" Diego snarled bravely, still fighting as much as he could, which, was very little. "They're long gone... You're too late!"

 _I gotta save him._.! Lila thought desperately, physically having to lock herself in place, to prevent herself launching from her hiding space.  _But, there are too many! It's hopeless. Besides, I shouldn't waste this opportunity, anyway..._  She thought hesitantly, chewing her lip as she tried to make her heart agree with the logical thought process. She felt a bubble rising on her throat, and as it burst, she was flooded with a surge of determination; the likes of which she'd only ever previously felt, for a single man. _I'll have to find another way!_  She thought fiercely, as a massive Hostile in bone armour appeared, shouting at the leader.

" **Naa ruqii xi phan**!" She growled, her displeasure clear as she approached the blue skinned male.

" **Qu'shaa duun**." He replied, and the females lip curled in a brief snarl, before they departed; with Diego reluctantly towed along behind them, his hands tightly bound.

Lila was left alone, sat in the silence of the aftermath, looking down at her watch, as seventeen million, six hundred and forty seconds slowly ticked by. She sighed, and looked up at the sky longingly, wishing she could seek help from the man who had given purpose to her life. "... Where  _are_  you, Mr. Rourke?"

Lila felt the time alone begin to incur upon her sanity, the countless she lived through alone, seeming to blur together. Presently, she found herself slowly making her way across a treacherous mountain pass. Rock crumbled beneath her feet, causing her to slip. She reached out for help; but there was none to be found.  _"Aah!"_  She gasped, barely grabbing hold of the ledge and pulling herself up...

Upon finally reaching the observatory, a journey she regretted not making with the others before, she punched in numbers on a keyboard; causing the telescope to realign.  _"Andromeda... Lupus..."_  She murmured, shaking her head in frustration. "What does it all  _mean?"_  She growled in frustration, slamming her hands against the keyboard, as time slipped away from her grasp once again...

Lila next became aware of time passing, as she peered over a hill with binoculars. Far below, in the shadow of a great tree village, Hostile warriors escorted Diego. "We're going, we're going!" He complained, his small voice carrying on the wind.

"Going. Yes." Said an old and wrinkled male Hostile, his crimson eyes flashing as he gestured abruptly at Diego and the jungle. "Search. Now."

Lila curled her fingers tightly around her binoculars, lowering them as she plotted their most likely path through the jungle _. If it's just those guys, I should be able to put them down long enough to get to Diego at least, and free him_... She thought, wriggling backwards and hurrying through the jungle; planning to ambush the Hostiles caravan. She froze suddenly, upon hearing a noise behind her. " Mr... Mr. Rourke?" She breathed hopefully, though she knew by now that she was being foolish. She narrowed her eyes, as through the ferns ahead, she caught sight of lizard like eyes, and a row of razor sharp teeth. As the creature pounced, she drew a knife, her expression falling into a predatory snarl...

Time blurred, and the next thing Lila consciously remembered, was pain. She winced, as she scrubbed at deep wounds on her abdomen, which were sore and had clearly grown heavily infected.  _A_   _month..._  Her mind supplied, as she tried to clean the wound _. A month since you tried, and failed to save Diego. Just like you failed to protect the others. Just like you failed to find Mr. Rourke._

"Shut up..." She muttered to herself, shaking her head as she drew a deep breath and pushed her despondency aside. "Come on, Lila. It's easy... You can do this..." She said, pouring antiseptic onto a rag, and quickly pressing it to her side.  _"Nnf!"_  She choked, as pain wracked her once more, and stole her away to another point in time.

Lila stood in a long hallway of The Celestial's upper floor, running a hand through her longer hair as she stared at a stretch of dry wall, and mumbled to herself. "It has to be here, right, Lila?" She muttered questioningly, heaving a sledgehammer thoughtfully, before smashing it into the surface. A piece crumbled away, revealing a small section of smooth wooden carving beneath it. "A door! A  _door!"_  She cheered, happily smashing the wall again.  _"Yay!_  Lila, you were right!" She sighed, giggling ecstatically as she smashed, and smashed, and smashed again...

She paused, glancing up with a small frown when she found herself in the Celestial Lobby. Relax, Lila. Roll with it, Lila. Adapt, Lila. Focus, Lila. She shook her head, pushing aside her disjointed thoughts and looking down at the pen and scrap of paper in her hands. She quickly read it through, and began to scribble like mad once more, completing her note. "Twelve... letters... equals... Hadean... Zodiac!" She mumbled, scratching her head briefly before frantically adding another hasty scribble. "The runes... are... the key!" She said, beaming down at her messy master piece.

"But," she said, her face falling as she lazily scrawled 'Lupus' across a corner, and slowly circling the giant 'L'.  _"You_  still have no idea what they mean, Lila...  _You'll_  never find Mr. Rourke!" She whispered with obvious hostility, scowling at her own inability to find her master.

"What are you writing?" Iris asked curiously, abs Lila whipped around quickly, pen at the ready to attack; only to find the blue hologram floating just behind her.

"Iris!" Lila gasped, her hand lowering to her side in shock. "You're not in the portal? Of course not..." She huffed, answering herself as she slapped her own forehead with a scowl. "That's stupid, Lila!" She growled in a harsh whisper.

"Are you okay?" Iris asked, her concern obvious, despite being artificially created. "You do not look well..."

"I'm just..." Lila sighed, dropping her pen as she turned back to her note, leaning on the desk top. "I'm lonely." She admitted, thinking of the bunch of ragtag kids who were currently missing from time, her lips twitching with a longing smile.

"I do not understand." Iris said, her eyes flashing as she tried to search her files for some sort of explanation for Lila's melancholy.

"You used to..." Lila said, sighing as she stood straight again. "You used to know what it was like to miss someone." She said mournfully, missing the Iris which knew her name, knew her job, knew her.

"I have no such record." Iris said cheerfully, her pixels fluctuating as she floated over to hover beside Lila.

"I'm jealous." Lila laughed sharply, turning her eyes down to her hastily scribbled note. "I wish I could forget like that." She said with a sigh, shaking her head fondly.

"Facial recognition algorithm, suggests you do not mean what you say." Iris said, tipping her head curiously. Lila said nothing, slowly raising her eyes to Iris, a cold calculation in their depths...

Lila coughed, limping up to the fountain in the grand atrium. She gazed up at Rourke's carved visage, and slumped to her knees, rife with the heavy stench of depression. "I can't do it... I can't keep going..." She whispered brokenly, closing her eyes and unintentionally forcing her tears to dribble down her cheeks. "How could you leave me? Abandon  _me?_  After everything...  _everything,_  I did for you..?" She pleaded, her head hanging as she gave in to her misery...

Lila stepped from the shower with a strange sense of melancholic excitement. She put on her old clothes, freshly mended and washed. She looked at her hair in the mirror, newly trimmed. "Good as new, Lila..." She said, trying to smile, but the expression fell flat, and she sighed instead. "Good as new."

With the countdown to their return begun, she made her way to The Celestial's ballroom, sitting herself in a chair to await the first arrivals. She sat motionlessly, watching a blank spot of the floor. After several long minutes, she looked down at her watch, the seconds ticking away still, but dropped considerably from her high starting point. The timer told her she had less than ten minute til her group returned, and her heart ached with excitement to see them all again, despite her stoic appearance. At last, in a flash of white, a Hostile warrior blinked into existence, mid scream.

 **"Yweeeet!"**  He stopped shouting abruptly, looking down at himself in confusion, upon realising he wasn't injured. As he began to look around in bewilderment, Lila slipped from her chair, and approached silently from behind. She drew a blade up to the warriors back, and shook her head remorsefully. "I'm sorry. I cant let you warn them." She whispered, and as her expert hand moved to silence the Hostile forever, time slipped a final time.

Lila found herself on the rooftop, gazing out at the island from the garden. Her face was cold, her expression flat and distant, but her heart fluttered with hope; knowing they would return imminently, and with them, her chance to find her master. She checked her watch, watching as the final three seconds of a freshly added minute ticked by, and closed her eyes in anticipation of the blinding light. In an instant, she was surrounded by her group once more, and the relief she felt was instantaneous; despite Taylors immediate fall to his knees, his grief palpable as the pilot dropped to comfort him.

"That light... its gone..." Michelle said quietly, as Jake slowly wrapped his hands around Taylors shoulders and drew his tense body up from the floor.

"So are the Vaanti..." Sean marvelled, looking around in awe. "We made it through the portal." He said, cringing as his words only made Taylors strangled weeping intensify.

"Wait... Taylor..." Craig said quietly, having done a headcount and realised they were missing a friend. "Where's Diego..?"

Taylor trembled against Jake, sobbing into the pilots neck as he fisted his jacket. "He took him... He  _took_  him, and I couldn't stop him..." He choked, and though Lila sympathised with his feelings; she said nothing.


	13. Trust Is a Fragile Thing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hallo. Is me again. Your humble servant.
> 
> I was itching to get this done for tomorriw and... i got it done in time to start the next one! Woo!
> 
> I hope hope hope that this one turned out well - but ypure no doubt aware of my constant and crippling self doubt; so i will save you having to listen to me agaon xD
> 
> Thankylu everyone who has read so far; who has commented and given me the boost to believe i can do this. Youre all so goddamn amazing...
> 
> x My love to you all x

_**Dear Jake;** _

_I know, I know... You always tell me I'm too soft hearted... But even so, I still can't help but wish things could have been different - that I could have done more! I mean, can any of us say we haven't made mistakes in our lives? But, I guess there's mistakes and then there's... blatant murder and mindless obedience to a tyrannical maniac... I dunno, maybe I'm just too idealistic; wanting things to magically work out all the time..._

_Of course, I would never mind seeing some more mayhem befalling the Arachnid stooges... Those guys when they're all 'aaah!'? Totally priceless. And I never even feel guilty for enjoying their misery... See? Not so soft hearted after all!_

_...yeah... I didn't believe it either, but it was worth a try_...

**13.**

**Trust Is a Fragile Thing.**

Taylor jumped from the bed, intending to get between the two women and at least attempt to divert the impending violence, but Estela was faster. She launched herself at Lila, who defended herself only barely in her shock. "Estela,  _wait!"_  He cried, reaching to intervene, only for Estela to turn and throw Lila across the room, immediately charging after her.

 _"Murderer!"_  She snarled, lashing out with a fierce barrage of attacks, far more indicative of Jake's style of fighting than her own. "Mindless minion  _scum!"_  She growled, catching a hold of Lila and slamming her against the window, only for Lila to free herself with a quick maneuver, trying to put some space between them as she dodged out into the hallway.

"Estela, please! Let me explai-" she tried to reason, as Estela screamed a disbelieving laugh.

"What the  _hell_  can you explain?" She roared, prowling after the assassin, throwing Taylors restraining arm off of her and unintentionally slamming him into the door, her rage blinding her to anything other than her chase of Lila.

 _"Oof!"_  He grunted, as he rolled to a halt, his head smacking into the doorframe with a resounding crack. "Urgh, Michelle's gonna yell at me..." He complained pathetically, as he pushed himself back to his feet. "Jake's gonna kill me..." He sighed despondently, shaking his head and blinking out the doorway at Estela and Lila, yelling at each other as Lila attempted to divert Estela's furious attacks; though the sound was muffled to him, and he couldn't make out their words.

He followed them dazedly, wincing as he touched a hand to the side of his head and felt a fierce sting of pain. He shook his head, and stumbled into the hall after them. "Estela!" He called roughly, his body slowly regaining some balance as he carefully trotted down the stairs.

In the lobby he paused, distracted as he looked out the entrance doors, and noticed fresh snowflakes alighting softly upon the already wintry landscape outside of the Elysian Lodge. For a brief moment, he lost track of himself, marvelling that it seemed like he was gazing out at the most tranquil scene in all the world; until Lila and Estela appeared from the lounge, and smashed straight through the glass door. Locked in a vicious struggle with one another, they crashed toppled to the ground.

 _"Wait!"_  Lila tried again, desperately trying to restrain Estela from locking her hands around her throat. "Please, Estela! I can explain-"

"Shut up!" Estela growled,as she grabbed her by the collar of her spiral emblazoned shirt, and Taylor pushed aside a wave of dizziness to force himself to move closer. "It was  _you!_  You  _killed_  her!" She screamed, straddling the assassin and driving her fist into Lila's face repeatedly, despite the fact that Lila stopped even trying to defend herself.

"P-please..." Lila huffed, her cheek swollen and lip split, her teeth stained red. "I'm sorry!" She whispered brokenly. Taylor dropped to his knees, raising his hand to his head as he was struck by a rush of dizziness once more.

The doors crashed open suddenly, as everyone rushed outside, having heard the commotion. "Estela? What is she-" Quinn gasped, her eyes widening in horror, as her hands raised her mouth.

"There was a..." Taylor said, shaking his head and groaning at the swell of nausea in his throat. "A video... in the lodge." He said, gesturing back towards the lodge vaguely. "It showed Lila..." He said, breaking off as Michelle crashed to her knees beside him.

"What the  _hell_  did you do now-" she demanded, only for her words to be drowned out by the approaching pilot.

 _"Taylor!"_  He roared, copying Michelle and skidding to his knees beside Taylor, who immediately shook his head and gestured to the fighting women.

"Not  _me,_  stop  _them-"_  he pleaded, but Jake was already shaking his head, his hand rising to Taylors face but hesitating when he noticed his wince of anticipation. "The video," Taylor insisted, "showed Lila;  _killing_  Estela's mom." He finally forced out, as Jake glanced over at them briefly, before looking back at Taylor worriedly. Taylor took his hand, and raised his dazed gaze to meet the pilots clear eyes pleadingly.

 _"What?!"_  Sean cried, his jaw dropping as he stared in shock at Estela's violent attack on Lila.

Taylor tried to push to his feet, intending to get between them, when Jake firmly sat him back down, allowing Michelle to carefully check him over. "We gotta do something..." He sighed, and Taylor could sense he was more concerned with preventing Taylor from intervening. He got to his feet, as Sean snapped out of his shock and ran over to break it up. Estela caught him by surprise, sitting up straight quickly and shoving him to the ground.

 _"Estela!"_  Sean cried, rising to his knees, "Come on, enough!" He said, pushing to his feet and approaching them again.

Taylor gripped Jake's arm tightly, his eyes frantically darting between the two women, wishing he could go over to try and separate them; but knowing only too well that neither Jake nor Michelle was about to let him move anywhere. He but his lip, and decided to try for a non physical intervention. "Estela! Just, wait!" He called, leaning against Jake as exhaustion nipped at his mind. "Let's call a truce; just for a moment!"

"Yes..!" Lila agreed, gasping for breath under Estela's assault.  _"Please,_  let's talk about th-"

"You won't say another  _word."_  Estela snarled, her fist connecting with Lila's left eye. "To think I  _trusted_  you..." She cried hatefully, her fist colliding with Lila's opposing cheek. "You murdering bitch!" She screamed, sitting back to wind up for another punch.

"Jake, please-" Taylor began, his eyes darting around the devolving situation desperately, as he nudged the pilot toward the pair.

"Ain't no way in  _hell_  I'm leaving ya right now, Taylor, so just shut the hell up." Jake growled, leaning closer to capture Taylors dazed eyes. "Cap an' Big Guy got it handled." He murmured, low enough that Estela wouldn't hear him. Taylor glanced over to where Sean and Craig were rapidly gesturing to each other, and his clenching heart finally eased enough to beat again.

"I c-can help you!" Lila choked, as Estela gripped her collar and pressed hard against her throat. "I have information!" She cried, and Estela hesitated for a second.

Sean and Craig used Estela's momentary distraction to grab her arms, barely managing to drag her struggling body away and hold her back.  _"No!_  Let me...  _go!"_  She snarled, animalistic in her fury, her hair falling from her ponytail in messy clusters.

"Lila, explain." Taylor urged, sagging into Jake's hold as he felt a dull tug at the edge of his consciousness.  _"Quickly!"_  He demanded, scowling with the energy it drew from him to do so little.

"Taylor will you please  _keep bloody still, and shut the hell up!_ " Michelle roared, causing him to flinch guiltily as she glared at him furiously.

He glanced at Jake, who merely frowned down at him as he wiped away the blood Taylor hadn't even noticed trickling down his face. "Don't look at me," the pilot said quietly, his eyes concerned as he darted them towards Michelle. "What she said."

"Tell us it's not true." Quinn pleaded, as Michelle looked up at Diego, standing a few steps back with Varyyn's arm around his torso to hold him back, his terrified gaze locked onto Taylor.

"Diego, go get my bag. First room on the right, in the left hallway." She ordered, and he nodded rapidly, as he hurried away to quickly obey. "Taylor, what the  _hell_  did you do?" She asked with a sigh, using a tissue to clear some of the blood away.

"Tried to stop Estela..." He mumbled, pretending he didn't notice Jake's scowl as he leaned against the pilots shoulder more heavily.

"Of  _course."_  Michelle sighed, as they turned to Lila, watching as she struggled to sit herself upright.

"... I..." She hedged, raising her eyes to Quinn's with a guilty and regretful expression. "... I wish I could." She sighed, drawing her arm across her lip and cheek to wipe away the blood. "Olivia was my friend... and I..." She sniffed, and Taylor saw in her eyes, the very real regret she felt. Despite her misguided loyalty, he couldn't help but still believe she could be swayed from Rourke's side. "I ended her life." Lila confessed, averting her gaze as she visibly hardened her resolve.

"You...  _what?"_  Grace gasped, her disbelief blatant in her wide eyes and slack jaw.

"Mr. Rourke said it was the only way!" Lila defended, one bloody eye watering, and the other one swollen shut. "She was going to ruin us... He,  _insisted,_  that I do it..." She explained, as she hung her head remorsefully.

"My god..." Aleister breathed, his usual pale complexion paling further, as he folded Grace into his arms and stared at Lila in horror.

"Is this supposed to save your ass?" Estela demanded, desperately struggling against Craig and Sean's tight hold on her. "Because its  _not_  working."

 _"Please,_  I know it sounds bad, but ny mission now is to protect  _you!"_  Lila pleaded, as Diego stumbled through the resort entrance, Michelle's bag tightly clasped in his hand.  _"All_  of you!"

"Lila..." Taylor sighed, as Michelle snatched her bag from Diego and quickly rummaged through for her carefully wrapped bundle of healing leaves. "What could possibly be worth all of  _this?"_  He asked tiredly, his heart aching at the thought of so much pain in so many lives; and all traceable to Rourke's greedy fingers.

Michelle gestured for Taylor to move, and Jake helped shift his weight, allowing the blonde to apply the healing leaves to his wound. He winced, as his skin began to tingle with the now intimately familiar sensation of the leaves, but gave his friend and pilot a soft smile in thanks.

"This oughta be good." Craig sneered, the muscles in his beefy arms rippling, as he helped Sean restrain Estela.

"You wouldn't understand." Lila said sadly, shaking her head in frustration. "What Mr. Rourke is doing will  _fix_  the world!" She said, her eyes flicking from one face to another, as if she were trying to escape her own thoughts.

"So, she's a killer, and she's crazy." Jake growled, glaring at her in disgust. His gaze dropped to his lap, softening considerably as Taylor took hold of his hand, and met his eyes meaningfully.

"Lila, what Rourke's doing is going to  _destroy_  the world, not fix it." Taylor said, his eyes slowly moving to meet the assassins. "Rourke; is no different to the man who killed your family." He said, finally piecing the newspaper clipping together with the vision he'd seen. "He seeks only to elevate himself beyond all others; to  _rule,_  not to heal." He said, as Lila shook her head determinedly.

 _"No!_  It's the culmination of Mr. Rourke's experiments... his life's work!" She insisted stubbornly, meeting Taylors gaze with a pleading hint of desperation. "He has a machine at  **MASADA..."**

"The Lernaean Gate." Taylor said quietly, only for Lila to shake her head harder. He frowned, sitting up slightly as the used leaf slid head, the wound gone, though the evidence of it still remaining. He hears Jake sigh in relief, and squeezed his hand, though his eyes remained locked on Lila.

"No. A different machine." She explained quickly, and Taylor narrowed his eyes, wondering the words felt so strangely ominous to him. "One that can erase all of the pain and suffering, people like  _us,_  have had to endure."

"... What?" Taylor asked, shaking his head quickly as he tried and failed to remember anything he could about the other 'machine'. "Lila, that doesn't..."

"Ya can't just  _erase_  every bad thing that happens to you, Dimples." Jake barked, his teeth flashing as he grimaced over at the assassin. "Pain's a part of life; ain't no erasin' it. Only shifting it to others."

 _"Jake..."_  Taylor murmured, his heart clenching with a wash of jealousy, at the pained expression his pilot wore; while clearly referencing his lost best friend. He lowered his eyes, refusing to be so petty at such an especially inappropriate time.

"Heard enough yet?" Estela snarled, tearing free of the restraining hold of Craig and Sean. "I  _have!"_  She cried, launching for Lila once more. Taylor raised his eyes to the girl, pushing aside his unwanted emotional baggage with the intention to try and calm her.

However he was distracted by Diego, whom he noticed was transfixed by something in the opposite direction. He followed his friends gaze, to see several large clumps of snow fall simultaneously, from the lodge's roof. A faint tremor passed through the ground; and then another. "Guys... I'm getting a real Jurassic Park feeling here." Diego warned, turning to stare at everyone with wide eyes. "I think something's coming..! Something,  _big!"_

A massive form, all white fur and black claws, lumbered around the corner of the lodge; and Taylor turned to Diego with a frown. "You just had to say it, didn't you?!" He demanded, as Michelle screamed.

 **"RRRRHH!"**  Roared an enormous beast, which seemed almost tondwarf theblodge itself. The creature appeared to be a giant bear, with great, curved horns similar to a ram. Its crystalline blue eyes narrowed at them suspiciously, as it stalked closer.

"By The Endless..." Varyyn gasped, immediately dropping to his knee and bowing respectfully. "The Mountain Guardian!" He cried reverently.

 _"Guardian?!"_  Jake scoffed disbelievingly, scooting forward to put himself between the enormous beast and Taylor. "That's a goddamn  _Yeti!"_  He exclaimed, shaking his head as Taylor tugged at his shoulder, trying to drag him backwards through the snow.

"What the hell?" Estela asked, her eyes wide as her attention was finally drawn away from Lila, who used the distraction to make a sudden run for it.

"She's getting away!" Grace cried, running a few steps free of the group and pointing after the fleeing assassin, unaware of the guardians head turning towards her.

 _"Grace!"_  Aleister called desperately, racing towards her in vain. "Look out!" He cried as Grace turned, just in time to see the twenty foot tall beast looming next to her.

"Eha-" she gasped, her eyes widening in fear and shock, as they locked gazes with the beasts unnaturally glowing eyes.  _"Aaaaah!"_  She screamed, stumbling further back from the group. Angered by the sound, the Yeti reached down and grabbed her in one of its huge claws.

 **"RRAAAUUGGHHH!"**  It roared, it's maw opening wide and covering the dark skinned girl with spittle, as she stared in horror at the rows of sharp fangs before her.

 _"No!"_  Taylor cried, trying to dart around Jake, only for the pilot to lock his arms around him. "Grace!" He called, his eyes wide as he felt his heart splutter in fear.

"Let her go!" Aleister demanded, running to Grace's defense. He stopped in front of the gargantuan creature, suddenly uncertain of what to do.

 _Maybe I can distract it long enough for him to find a way to free her..._  He thought, biting his lip before his expression hardened in determination. "Hey, you!" He called, as Jake groaned and tried to maneuver him away.

"Boy Scout, don't-" the pilot said fearfully, his eyes darting between Taylor and the hulking monster before them.

"Trust me!" He whispered furiously, pleading with his eyes briefly when he met the pilots gaze, before turning back to the beast. "We're not your enemy!" He called, raising his hands in placation, as he pushed to his feet; Jake remaining reluctant, though never faltering in his assistance, helping Taylor to remain steady. "Oh my god... Jake,  _look..."_  He whispered, pointing to where he noticed bullet wounds, along the creatures left arm and side.

"...  _Arachnid."_  Jake muttered darkly, after a moments pause. He grimaced, as the creature bared its teeth at Taylor, but relaxed exponentially, as it slowly set Grace back down.

"Ohmygod, ohmygod!" Grace chanted, as its claws slowly released her. "Oh...  _mygod!"_

"Are you alright? Aleister demanded, quickly ushering her to safety as Furball ran forward protectively, exhaling a cone of frost at the enormous beast.

 _"Hff-hff!"_  The little fox growled, as icicles sprouted from the Yeti's fur, though his efforts seemed futile, as the beast seemed otherwise unharmed. It bent down, bringing its snout toward the tiny fox curiously. It grunted softly ar him, before snatching him up and bounding towards the forest.  _"Mrrmk!"_  He yelped, yipping back at them frantically.

"Furball!" Quinn cried, her hands rising to cover her mouth from shock.

"Get  _back_  here!" Taylor yelled, scowling after the massive beast, as he struggled to fee himself from Jake's hold. "Where are you taking him?"

"Oh man... Is it gonna eat him?" Raj wondered aloud, his eyes wide with fearful shock. In only a few massive steps, the Yeti was gone, disappearing into the trees, as everyone stared in disbelief.

"What even just happened?" Diego asked, blinking as he shook his head. "Are we into full blown Christmas special territory?"

Estela ignored them all, her hardened gaze fixed in the direction Lila went. "She ran away." She snorted derisively, narrowing her eyes hatefully. "Like the back stabbing  _coward_  she is."

"You wanna pipe down over there, Katniss?" Jake snarked, glaring at her without fear as she rounded on him. "While we deal with your mess?" He added, gesturing to Taylor, as he struggled free of the pilots hold and swatted his shoulder firmly.

"Don't you get all high and judgemental; you were  _exactly_  the same facing down Lundgren." Taylor reminded, as he got to his feet and shook his head, wincing at the faint sway of lingering dizziness.

"I didn't bloody  _hurt_  you though!" Jake snarled in protest, missing Taylors wince guiltily, as he jumped up and gestured roughly to where Estela watched them in confusion. "I didn't give you a damn concussion!"

"What?" Estela snorted, shaking her head in frustration. "I didn't do anything, I was chasing down-"

"Yeah, and didn't care who you caught in the crossfire! We saw that when Cap tried to get ya to listen!" Jake rebuffed, cutting her off abruptly as she balled her hands into fists and stepped closer.

"She-" Estela snarled, her face a mask of rage as she glared at the pilot, only for him to roar over her.

"We've all lost people, Xena!" She yelled frantically, unaware of how his words fanned the sour flare of jealousy in Taylors gut. "Ya  _damn_  lucky we didn't lose another 'cause of your blindne-"

"Jake,  _enough!"_  Taylor snapped, grimacing as he looked between the pilot and his friend, who balked when she finally caught sight of the remaining blood staining the side of his face. "The pair of you just shut up! I'm  _fine._  So, let's get going after Furball already." He said, gesturing towards the trees.

"Maybe you oughta-" Diego began, only for Taylor to round on him too, though his friend seemed to realise the glint of emotion which Taylor was trying so hard to repress.

"I said I'm  _fine;_  and I am  _going,_  after my  _friend."_  He said firmly, as Diego raised his hands in placation.

"Dude, fine," Diego said slowly, slowly lowering his hands ro gesture towards the lodge. "I was  _just_  gonna say, maybe you should get changed first."

Taylor flushed, embarrassed by his outburst, though he refused to admit it. He glanced down at his suit, having had much more fun plans for the day when he'd gotten dressed, and he sighed in reluctant acknowledgement.  _"Fine,_  but then I'm  _going."_  He snarked, storming back into the lodge to find his bag and change.

He grabbed the clothes he had left in the room at the top of the stairs, before hurrying to the room he'd shared with Jake, checking his reflection in the en suite mirror with a grimace. Blood which was mostly dry caked one side of his head, and he hurriedly washed it all away, to reveal the freshly healed skin beneath.  _Head wounds bleed alot_... He thought, trying to reason with himself and calm his nerves.  _Doesn't mean it was necessarily as bad as Jake and the others made out_. He thought firmly, as the last of the red water drained away.

 _More importantly_... He thought, looking up at himself in the mirror, as his hands tightened on the edge of the sink.  _Why do I have to react like such an idiot whenever he brings up-_  He watched his reflection as his lips twisted into a grimace, his eyes flashing with some emotion he didn't even try to name, as he forcibly stopped himself from thinking the name which set him off so easily.  _Jake told me about him, chose, to tell me about him... He wouldn't have done that if he still, or ever, had those kinds of feelings for him... Would he_? He thought, his stomach twisting itself into knots. He felt bile crawl up the back of his throat, and he cupped a handful of water from the faucet, swallowing it down as he leaned heavily on the sink.  _This is ridiculous. I'm being ridiculous_. He thought with a sigh, shaking his head as he forced himself back into the bedroom.

He grabbed his winter clothing from his bag, stripping off his suit and attempting to fold it quickly, before giving up and instead throwing it haphazardly into the bag. He pulled on his winter gear, scowling the entire time, at the frustrating thoughts and grim feelings which flooded his body. With a growl, he snatched up his bag and headed back outside, muttering to himself as he went. When he stepped back outside, he saw Varyyn had walked over to examine the Yeti's huge footprints, Jake, Quinn and Diego alongside him.

"The guardian is larger than I'd expected, from Uqzhaal's stories..." The Elyyshar commented lightly, nodding to Taylor as he approached. "We'll need to move quickly to catch up."

"Let's go then," Taylor said, hugging his bag closer, as the others turned towards him. "I uh... sorry. For, you know... snapping. Just worried." He added awkwardly, refusing to meet anyone's eyes incase his churning emotions where revealed.

Thankfully, he was saved from his friends inevitable questioning, when Craig approached with the others, voicing his own disbelief of what they'd witnessed; loudly. "Yo, like, a freakin' abominable snowman?!  _Really?!"_  He exclaimed, gesturing after the mighty beast. "And there are still evil super soldier dudes out there?!" He added incredulously, shaking his head as he sighed heavily, his shoulders sagging. "I dunno, guys..."

"We might never make it to where the Gate is, if we try to save him..." Michelle said quietly, wrapping her arms around herself, as Taylor firmly grit his teeth together to keep his snide responses to himself.

"Listen, if it wasn't for Furball, Taylor would have been torn to shreds by that Sabertooth. That giant ass crab, would have obliterated us." Sean said firmly, looking around the group confidently. "We  _owe_  him this." He said, meeting Taylors grateful gaze with a nod.

"And leave that  _murderer_  to get away with what she did?" Estela snarled, gesturing in the opposite direction, where Lila had disappeared. "We need to catch her!"

"If we don't act fast, that  _thing_  might kill Furball; and I don't care what anyone else thinks says or feels, I'm  _not_  okay living with that... I'm  _not_  okay, letting a friend die." Taylor said, shaking his head as he wrapped his arms around himself, cold despite his thick winter clothing. "Besides, its not like we don't  _know_  where Lila is going."

"Boy Scout's got a point," Jake admitted thoughtfully, tipping his head after Lila. "Only one place she can go at this point, and we're already headed there."

"Fine." Estela growled reluctantly, glaring around them all in irritation. "But when we do find her,  _none_  of you better get in my way." She said harshly, narrowing her eyes when Taylor snorted in response.

"Yeah, no worries." He snarked, stalking away towards the trees, the bitter taste of his jealousy clawing at his throat, making him lash out in irritation and frustration. "Lesson learned." He called over his shoulder, scowling at himself for being so unnecessarily antagonistic. He stormed ahead, desperately trying to untangle his jumbled emotions, until the others quickly caught up to him.

"But, if Lila gets to  **MASADA**  before us, Rourke will know we're coming!" Grace said, voicing her fears as they moved through endless rows of pine and fir trees.

"Well, that's why I say its a good idea we move quickly." Jake replied, though it was clear from his tone, that he was distracted, his gaze rapidly flicking to Taylor.

He dropped back under the pretense of looking in his bag, allowing the others to move ahead of him before falling in behind them, as he tried to get a grip on his overwhelmed emotions.  _Come on, Taylor... Get it together, this is not the time to be being such an idiot; and there's no reason for it anyway_! He mentally scolded himself, as he slowly tried to compartmentalise his emotions, and lock them away accordingly.

As they weaved a path from each giant footprint to the next, Taylor realised someone had fallen back beside him, walking as silently and distractedly as he was himself. He looked over to find Estela, with tears streaming down her face. "Estela..." He sighed, hurriedly pushing aside his own remaining emotional troubles, in order to fully support his grieving friend.

"What?" She sniffed, wiping her eyes hurriedly as she realised he was no longer focused on his own problems.

"I'm so sorry, about your mother..." He said quietly, looking ahead briefly to give her a moment to wipe away fresh tears. "I can't imagine what this must be like, but... I'll do whatever I can to help." He said honestly, his expression as blank as the memories he tried to raise of his own parents.

Estela was silent a moment longer, her eyes on the snow as they trudged through it. "All this time... I thought it was Rourke. It was...  _easier,_  that way." She admitted slowly, shaking her head in sad disbelief. "Knowing that it was someone she trusted so  _deeply..._  betrayed her... it's just..." She choked, inhaling deeply as she turned her gaze to the sky, struggling to fight back her grief. "It goes to show; you can never really trust anyone." She scoffed, dragging her arm over her eyes angrily.

"Well that's horseshit." Taylor snorted, ignoring Estela's shocked expression in favour of pushing on further. "You can trust  _us,_  Estela." He said, placing his hand on her back. "We'll  _always_  be here for you, and we'll always have your back."

"...I'm not sure your pilot would agree..." She hedged, as Taylor followed her gaze to where Jake kept glancing over his shoulder at them.

"Jake's been alone a long time, Estela." Taylor said quietly. "It's different to what you went through." He explained, sensing her about to cut in. "You still had your uncle... Jake was alone, in a foreign country, knowing that to reach out to any one of those he loved would result in his arrest, or their being hurt." He said quietly, his eyes welling with hot tears as his jealousy spiked once again.

"Mike was..." He faltered, the words cloying in his throat like too thick toffee, and he swallowed heavily to try again. "Mike was everything to Jake... and when he died, he took all the fun, the joy, the... the life, outta Jake with him..." Taylor tried to explain, his throat stinging painfully as his eyes prickled. "Just how you felt about your mom, all that pain you held onto; Jake felt the same about Mike... But there was nobody there for him. So now he's overprotective, of all of us. We're a family, Estela... Little and broken, we may be... But still good." He said, smiling softly as he scrubbed his arm over his eyes and sniffed a quiet chuckle. "Diego's a bad influence." He huffed, though his amusement was noticeably flat.

"Taylor..." Estela said hesitantly, and he took a deep breath, as he looked over with a raised brow. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"I know, Estela." He said softly, cutting her apology off and rubbing her back gently to comfort her. "I know." He repeated, and the two fell into a thoughtful silence, as they walked on at the back of the group.

"Wait a sec." Jake called suddenly, his eyes widening as he stared at something he spotted ahead of them. "Do you see that snow coming down up ahead?"

"Yeah, uh, that's actually how it gets all over the ground." Craig said, in such a serious tone that Taylor immediately began to laugh.

"Craig, give it a rest." Michelle sighed, shaking her head and running a hand over her face in disbelief.

 _"What?!"_  He cried defensively. "He's from Louisiana! I didn't know if he knew about that kinda stuff!" He huffed, as Taylor continued to snigger in amusement.

"Thanks, Al Roker." Jake snarked, his lips twitching with relieved amusement, at the noticeable shift in Taylors attitude. "What I'm saying is, that snow's only falling in an isolated area; next to that tree."

"Something's up there!" Grace agreed, biting her lip and tapping her fingers together nervously.

Taylor squinted toward the top of the pine tree, and was filled with a rush of relief and joy; when he saw Furball clinging to a branch, his breath crystallizing and turning to snowflakes. "Nice eyes, Top Gun." Taylor praised, tossing the pilot his bag as he ran over to the base of the tree. "Furball, hang on! We're here to get you, little buddy!"

 _"Mrp?"_  Furball barked, glancing down at Taylor uncertainly.

"... That's totally where I'd put a snack, if I wanted to save it for later..." Raj puffed, as he joined Taylor by the tree.

Movement among a distant cluster of fir trees caught Taylors eyes, and he waved at the others in frantic warning, urging them to hide. The ground shook with the Yeti's footfalls, but the beast did not appear to be approaching.

"It's far enough away that we could try and get him down." Sean said quietly, as the group converged around Taylor at the base of Furball's tree.

Taylor squinted thoughtfully, debating before he crouched, about to jump for the nearest foothold on the trees wide trunk. "Oh no, ya don't..." Jake snorted, grabbing his arm as he guessed his intention.

"It's the best plan, and you know it." Taylor said, frowning at the pilot, his irritation flaring once more; as his tangled emotions rattled at their bindings. "If I call him down then that thing will be right back over here, eating all of us. Come on, Jake, we said we'd trust each other to-"

"I'm trusting ya alright, to stay outta the damn tree and let me go." Jake sniffed, his eyes hardening as he looked over Taylor, evidently picking up on his inner confliction. "You have a dizzy spell up there, it ain't ending well. Let me go for ya, Taylor.  _Please."_

Taylor bit his lip, his emotions immediately pivoting to concern for the pilot. He sighed and shoved everything into the deepest recess of his mind and heart, nodding reluctantly. "Just... be careful." He hedged, as Jake's shoulders visibly dropped from relief.

The pilot winked at him, before looking for footholds, and beginning to climb the tree's trunk. "Good call." Sean praised, stepping out of the pilots way, as he swung himself up onto the lowest branch. "Sure you got this?"

"Guess we'll find out in a couple minutes." Jake snorted, as he pushed higher, quickly and skilfully ascending the tree.

"That's really brave, Jake..." Quinn called, watching his progress with wide eyes. "Be careful."

"Hey! I was gonna be the one up there, if he weren't an  _overprotective ass.._." Taylor pouted, folding his arms over his chest sulkily, though his worried gaze never once left Jake.

"And  _you're_  really brave too, Taylor." Quinn giggled, resting her hand on his arm in reassurance. "Don't worry, he'll be fine." She whispered quietly, squeezing gently.

 _"Foolish_  is more like it." Aleister snorted, sneering up at the pilot in the tree. "Now is not the time to throw caution to the wind!"

"Never climbed trees as a kid, did ya, Malfoy?" Jake snorted quietly, though his muffled voice carried down to them, as he moved from branch to branch and gradually made his way up. He was nearly halfway, when Taylor noticed him pause, the pine needles beginning to rustle around him.

"Kongzilla incoming!" Jake called down, waving them all away. "Everybody hide!" He ordered, his eyes wide as he leaned out from the tree to stare down at Taylor worriedly, as everybody else scattered and quickly ran for cover.

"Come on, Taylor!" Quinn whispered furiously, dragging him away as he stared up at Jake fearfully. "He'll be fine, I promise, but only if you move! Don't make him worry about you..." Taylor reluctantly gave in, hiding with Quinn behind a nearby tree, where he could just make out Jake; holding perfectly still, high among the branches.

Taylor tensed, as the yeti emerged from the trees, a buzzing beehive grasped in its claw. He let out a relieved breath, when it didn't appear to notice anyone. His eyes flickered over to Jake, noticing the pilot inching closer to Furball. His heart faltered, when Jake's hand slipped back, the branch he'd been reaching for snapping off loudly; immediately followed by Jake's frustrated curse. "Aw,  _shit-"_

"Jake-" Taylor cried, lurching forward, only to be held back by Quinn's restraining hand on his shoulder.

 **"GRRRAAHHHH!"**  The Yeti roared over them both, dropping the hive and whirling towards the pine tree.

"... Perfect." Taylor sighed and shook himself free of Quinn's grasp, and biting his lip as he stared up at Jake worriedly. In the commotion, Taylor saw Furball try to scurry down the trunk to Jake, but Taylors heart stopped, when the little fox ended up losing his footing. "Furball!" Taylor cried, running across the snow towards the falling fox, as he plummeted dozens of feet to the ground.  _"No!_  Furball!" He called, as he raced across the open space. He heard Jake curse again, and the sounds of his hurried descent down the trunk.

As one, the group emerged from their hiding places, staring towards where the little fox had landed. The towering beast paused in its tracks, visibly concerned. "Oh god..." Quinn chanted, as she began to chase after Taylor. "Oh please no..."

Taylor approached the hole in the snow, where the small blue fox had fallen; his heart racing at the distinct lack of movement around it. As he dropped to his knees and skidded through the snow to the hole, the Yeti lumbered over and leaned it's face down.  **"RRRUH..?"**  It rumbled, and Taylor frowned at the blatant concern.

 _It doesn't want to hurt him_... He thought in realisation, his memories humming with a sense of rightness at the self discovery. He choked a sobbed laugh, as a cloud of snowflakes swirled put toward the Yeti's nose, causing the creature to flinch and paw at its face.

 _"Hff-hfff!"_  Furball growled, as he dug himself out and shook himself off, completely unharmed. His face expressed his blatant irritation, an approximation of a scowl as he snorted, and huffed at the Yeti crossly.

"Furball!" Taylor sighed in relief, opening his arms as the little fox turned towards him, his ears perking happily. "He's okay!" He called over his shoulder, as Furball hopped into his lap and licked his chin.

"Dunno if I am..." Diego puffed, one hand on his chest as he hung his head between his knees and panted heavily. "Almost had a heart attack!" He gasped, as Taylor rolled his eyes and tickled his nose against Furball's.

The Yeti leaned it's face towards Furball, nudging him with its nose. When he turned toward the creature curiously, it tenderly gave him several licks with its huge tongue, its relief palpable around them.

"Um... I think its trying to care for Furball..." Grace said hesitantly, cautiously stepping closer. "Like, a parent!"

"Aw," Quinn cooed, crouching down and hugging her knees as Furball sneezed, and drew back from the beast. "That's adorable."

 _"Mrf!"_  Furball snorted, and Taylor laughed at the little foxes expressive face. The little blue fox shook his head and huffed the closest thing Taylor could imagine to a disparaging sigh, before darting over to Quinn, who happily picked him up and cuddled him close.

"You're a good little pupper, Furball." She cooed adoringly, grinning down at him and ruffling his fur, as she praised him fondly. "Oh yes, you are! Yes, you are!"

Taylor shook his head, and looked up when a hand appeared before his face, to find Jake peering down at him with a soft grin. "Need a lift?" The pilot snickered, and Taylor felt his heart throb with both joy and guilt, as he bit his lip and slid his hand into Jake's.

The pilot pulled him to his feet, and into his arms, holding him close for a moment in silent relief and comfort. "Jake..." Taylor breathed, closing his eyes and trying to push away all the doubt and guilt he had stored in his heart, as he wrapped himself around the pilot and buried his face in his jacket.

"How's ya-" Jake began in a murmur, only to break off suddenly with a curse, "Aw, hell..." He groaned, and Taylor drew back quickly to see what was wrong.

"Oh, crap..." He sighed, as the Yeti saw Quinn tickling Furball's stomach, and its protective instincts appeared to kick in once more.

 **"GRRRR..."**  It growled lowly, its head lowering toward the ground as the sound grew to a rumble, and finally a snarl, as it began to stalk closer.

"Uh," Zahra hedged, cautiously stepping back as her eyes darted between the beast and the oblivious redhead. "I think you're pissing it off-" she warned, only to break off as the Yeti broke out in a Lou bellow of rage.

 **"GRRAAAUUGGGHHHH!"**  It roared, its teeth flashing as saliva flecked them. Its great luminous eyes narrowed, focused entirely upon Quinn in its fury, as it rose to its full height and advanced towards her.

"Yep." Zahra sighed, as Craig rushed through the snow to her and placed himself between her and the Yeti.

"This is like a custody battle from hell!" Diego cried, his hands in his hair as he gazed around frantically for something he could do to help.

Quinn glared at the Yeti, standing her ground stubbornly. "You know what?" She snapped, pointing her finger at the massive beast. "I've had just about  _enough_  of you! Just...  ** _stop!"_**  She demanded, and the Yeti paused, seeming suddenly as if hypnotized, a faint green glow appearing in its eyes.

"Quinn..." Taylor warned, recognizing the green tinge from when Quinn had been possessed by the heart. He moved to step closer to the girl, but Jake held him back momentarily, though only to link their hands so they approached the girl together. The beast continued walking forward, causing snow to slide off the surrounding trees with each heavy step. "Quinn, what are you  _doing?!"_  Taylor whispered furiously, as he and Jake rushed up to her, taking a side each to flank her protectively.

"I... I don't know." Quinn admitted quietly, shaking her head in frustration as a power she couldn't explain radiated throughout her. "It just... It feels like I'm... somehow in her mind..."

"That's what I was afraid you were gonna say!" Taylor yelped, exchanging a nervous glance with Jake, before shaking his head suddenly. "Wait...  _'Her'?"_

"I think I can bring her to our side, Taylor." Quinn insisted urgently, her confident gaze locking with his own concerned one.

Taylor glanced at Jake, who immediately shook his head. "It's a goddamn Yeti!" He exclaimed, gesturing towards the hulking beast, looming ever closer to them. "The pair of you are fucki-"

"Just think, Top Gun..." Taylor said quickly, winking as he tipped his head towards the beast. "We could see Lundgren piss his pants, if, when we next see him; we have our own goddamn yeti!" He said, and Jake's expression immediately turned thoughtful. "If that isn't enough incentive, I'll blow you every morning for a week!" He added, and Jake barked with surprised laughter, as Quinn gave a scandalized gasp.

 _"Taylor!"_  She giggled, her eyes wide as she shook her head at him in disbelief. "Mine ears are offended by your crass comments! Don't you know you're not supposed to talk like that around ladies?!"

"It's fine, Grace is way over there-" Taylor laughed, as Quinn elbowed him for his quick reply, trying to pout, though the expression was considerably hindered by her giggles. "Besides, you say  _waaay_  worse about me, all the time!" He said, nudging her playfully as he looked over at the pilot with a cockily raised brow.

"Wel, ya drive a hard bargain, Boy Scout." Jake sighed, running a hand through his hair as he winked over at him. "But I'll admit it... I'm a weak,  _weak_  man when it comes to you... Go on then, Red, whatever you're gonna di; you better get doin' it." He added, gesturing towards the Yeti, which was still slowly lumbering closer.

"Stand back, everybody!" Taylor yelled, as he and Jake waved the others away and stepped back, giving Quinn both support and space. "Okay, Quinn... Go for it." He said, as Jake's hand crept back into his own.

"Every mornin' for a week, huh?" Jake murmured quietly, and Taylor swatted his arm playfully.

" _Shut up,"_  he sniggered, glancing at the pilots cocky expression, before gesturing towards Quinn with their linked hands. "Look..."

Quinn straightened herself, standing to her full height as she peered up at the Yeti imploringly. "This fox, is our friend! We're not going to hurt him!"

 **"RRRR..."**  The behemoth snarled, continuing its advance on the redhead. Taylor felt his heart leap to his throat, but forced himself to remain still, not wanting to distract Quinn.

"... Its not working!" Grace cried worriedly, moving to step closer. Taylor gestured urgently to Aleister, who took the cue and gently guided Grace back to a safe distance.

Quinn swallowed hard, her eyes widening as her initial attempt seemed to have no effect on the beast. "Please, uh..." She tried again, and Taylor gasped, his hand flying to his head as a lance of pain speared his temple. " _We need your help_!"

 _"Taylor!"_  Jake said worriedly, freeing his hand from Taylors in order to cup his cheeks lightly. "Taylor, what is it-" he began to ask, trailing off as the creature stopped abruptly. It got down on to all fours, seeming suddenly docile. "Taylor-"

"It's okay, I think..." Taylor gasped, the pain receding as quickly as it had come. "I think it was just a power surge..." He said, a small smile curving his lips upward. "I'm okay, I promise." He said, as Jake eyed him concernedly a moment longer, before rushing forward to sweep him into a deep kiss.

"Hell yeah!" Craig cheered, as Taylor lost himself to the press of Jake's tongue against his own. "I think we just got ourselves a bigfoot!" He laughed, as Jake finally released him, shaking his head as he stared down at him obvious relief.

"Ya really know how to keep a guys life interesting, dont'cha, Boy Scout?" The pilot huffed, as Taylor winked up at him.

"Wouldn't want you getting bored now, would I?" He sniggered, biting his lip in secret amusement as Jake laughed and shook his head again.

"Quinn, are you the Three Eyed Raven?!" Diego choked, his wide eyes travelling between the docile beast and the beaming redhead in wonder. "Can you worg into animals?!" He demanded, as he slowly approached with Varyyn.

"Guardian," Quinn said reaching forward to pet the great beasts leg affectionately. "We need to get to the northern peninsula... Can you help us?" She asked, as the beast seemed to purr.

The Yeti lowered its upper body, allowing Quinn to climb on. The redhead used the creature's shaggy fur to hoist herself up. Once she reached the top of its shoulders, she tentatively reached out to pat the top of it head, and it nuzzled both her and Furball affectionately in response; the little fox hopping onto its head from Quinn's shoulders. " **MRR-HHRRR**..." The beast rumbled contently.

"Oh!" Quinn gasped, before breaking out in a fit of giggles. "I think she likes me! C'mon, Taylor!" She said, waving him to join her.

"That's, like, a  _legendary_  level mount..." Zahra murmured, her expression revealing her utter awe, as she approached and ran her hand over the beasts fur gently.

"And..." Michelle said, floundering for words as she stared up at the beast in wonder. "We have a Yeti now... That's a thing."

"Yeah, I'm just rolling with it at this point..." Sean agreed, resting his hand gently on her shoulder, as Quinn beckoned eagerly for Taylor to join her.

"This is crazy..." Jake muttered, eyeing the beast distrustfully as he gripped Taylors hand tightly.

"Aw, c'mon, Top Gun... You're not scared, are you?" Taylor asked, sniggering as Jake turned a scowl towards him.

"For me? No. For you? Always." Jake snarked, eyeing Taylor suspiciously. "And you're  _entirely_  too cocky, right now..." He said, narrowing his eyes.

Taylor felt such a conflict of emotions at the pilots confession, he wasn't sure he could contain himself. His stomach flipped, his heart swelled and a giggle escaped him as he playfully walked his fingers up the pilots sleeve. "Well, someone should  _really_  do something about that..." He said, sniggering as Jake raised an eyebrow, a slow smirk blossoming on his face. "But... they'd have to catch me first!" He laughed, shoving a stunned Jake into the snow and dashing towards where Quinn was laughing stop the Yeti. "What the hell, here I come!" He called, climbing behind Quinn.

"Boy Scout!" Jake called, scowling as he dug himself out of the snow. "Hey, get  _back_  here ya little-"

"Sorry, Top Gun!" He laughed, as the Yeti turned and began walking away. "I can't hear you!" He sniggered, as Quinn giggled along beside him, waving at Jake as he all but steamed with amused irritation.

Moments later, Taylor, Quinn and Furball were riding through the forest; the rest of the group walking behind them, easily keeping pace with the beasts slow gait. "Wow..." Taylor sighed, looking around in awe. "You can really see for miles ul here... Now I feel bad, Jake would love this view! It's probably as close to flying as we can get at the moment..." He said, biting his lip as he glanced back guiltily.

"This is the only way to travel!" Quinn agreed with a giggle, following Taylors gaze to the clearly sulking pilot. "Don't worry, he'll forgive you soon enough. After all, you already promised to-"

"Quinn!" Taylor snorted, turning to the giggling redhead and nudging her carefully. "I thought you said ladies didn't know such crass comments!"

"I did!" Quinn agreed, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she giffled again. "But, I never said I was a lady!"

" _Mr-hrr-hrr!"_  Furball yipped, distracting them from their banter as they looked down and laughed, finding the little fox balancing precariously on the Yeti's head, enjoying the wind against his fur.

"Hey, Taylor..?" Quinn asked, leaning against his side as she stared ahead of them and yawned.

"Yeah?" He asked, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and holding her close to his side.

"Thankyou... for trusting me..." She said quietly, and Taylor could instinctively tell she was exhausted from the power she had expelled, taking the Yeti.

"Anytime, Quinn..." Taylor murmured, rubbing her arm gently, as she began to snore lightly.  _"Anytime."_  Taylor lost track of time as they travelled, but when he checked his phone; I was to see that it had been at least a few hours, which explained the building numbness in his ass. He shifted uncomfortably, and immediately felt bad, when Quinn hummed lightly, her eyes flickering open slowly. "Shit, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you... It's just..." He broke off hesitantly, his cheeks flaring with heat.

Quinn chuckled sleepily, rubbing her eyes as she sat up straight and ran her eyes over his awkward shifting. "Oh!" She giggled, realising his predicament. "Well, I'm sure once we get down, Jake will be more than willing to-"

"You  _literally_  just woke up, how can you be teasing me already?" Taylor groused, pouting at the redhead forlornly.

"Natural talent." She giggled, before turning serious, as she caught sight of sonething ahead of them. Taylor followed her gaze forward, just as they emerged from the evergreen forest, to arrive at the shore of a vast, frozen lake.

"Oh, I do  _not_  like the look of this..." Taylor groaned quietly, immediately flooded by the familiar sense of foreboding, which usually accompanied very bad alternate memories. The Yeti came to a stop, and crouched down low to let them off. Taylor hesitated, half debating whether to beg the beast to turn around and take them back the way they'd come.

Quinn dismounted quickly, and stroked the beasts snout fondly. "Thankyou very much, friend." She said warmly, as the Yeti purred and nuzzled her hand affectionately. "Taylor, get down from there..." She whispered quickly, frowning up at him in frustration.

Taylor sighed, and slowly began to climb down, pausing when he noticed strands of black, metallic netting wrapped tightly around the Yeti's shoulder. He slipped, and gasped as he began to fall, only to be saved by a firm pair of arms encircling him. " _Caught ya._ " The rough whisper made Taylor snigger, as he turned to look over his shoulder at the pilot, raising his brows in faux innocence.

"Oh, so you  _did!"_  He grinned, winking as Jake narrowed his eyes at him. "Congratulations! I've heard I'm;  _quite the catch_!" He said, as Jake groaned, and Quinn burst into giggles.

 _"Way,_  too cocky." Jake mumbled, burying his face in the side of Taylors neck and nipping him sharply. Taylor sniggered, before catching sight of the Yeti once more, sobering himself again.

"Wait a sec." He said, and Jake withdrew at his serious tone, following his finger as he pointed up to the strange metallic netting. "There's something stuck to her." He said, climbing partway back up with Jake's hands to help steady him.

"Uh, I'm pretty sure you're supposed to hold someone's  _legs,_  when you do that, Jake..." Quinn giggled, eyeing where Jake's hands rested beneath Taylors ass.

"Hey, I'm helpin'." The pilot sniggered, throwing the redhead a cocky wink and a crooked grin, squeezing gently and causing Taylor to yelp in surprise.

"Hey!" He called down, snickering at the shameless enjoyment on the pilots face. "I'm  _trying_  to concentrate here!"

"So am I." Jake quipped, squeezing again and sniggering when Taylor bit his lip in response. With a final chuckle, the pilot tipped his chin at the Yeti, and Taylor began to work carefully; slowly detangling the net. His mirth faded, and he glanced down to Jake worriedly, upon discovering it was connected to a central device; with a spider shaped mark etched into it.

"There..." He said reluctantly, drawing the net away great beast. "Got it off." He said, and Jake lowered him gently to the floor. Taylor hesitated, before turning and offering the net to Jake with a sigh, biting his lip uncertainly.

"That's an Arachnid tracker..." He said, his eyes widening in shock. "What the hell would Lundgren want with her?" He asked, looking up at Taylor in confusion.

"... Nothing good..." Taylor replied, after a distinct pause. He opened his mouth to comment further, when the Yeti raised an enormous limb to point out across the lake, indicating the direction of their goal. The beast then looked down at Furball, holding his gaze for a long moment, before she finally turned and headed back into her forest.

"... I..." Quinn hedged, and Taylor looked over to see her head cocked in confusion. "I don't know how I can sense this... But, I thin she'll come back to us, if we need her."

"The guardian..." Varyyn gasped, string after the Yeti with wide eyes. "She recognized her own kind!" He said, shaking his head in stunned disbelief.

"What do you mean, Varyyn?" Diego asked, frowning as he walked over and rested his hand on the Elyyshar's arm.

"She must have believed that Furball," Varyyn said thoughtfully, turning to the little blue fox. "Will one day take her place... It is the only reason she would try to keep him safe."

 _"Hrr!"_  Furball purred proudly, his chest puffing up smugly, as Taylor hitched a lopsided grin towards him.

"That would explain his unusual abilities..." Aleister conceded thoughtfully, his brows raising as he looked down at the small animal.

"Our very own Guardian in Training!" Taylor sniggered, dropping to his knees as Furball bounded over. "Who knew?" He snickered, before turning serious as he leaned down to whisper to the little fox. "Other than you... you little-" Furball yipped guiltily, licking Taylors cheek before darting away to skitter across the shore, towards the icy surface. Taylor shook his head fondly as he pushed to his feet, but his amusement faded, as he stared out at the lake, his brow already beading with sweat in fearful anticipation.

"In any case," Sean said, drawing everyone's attention as he gestured towards the steep slopes either side of the frozen water. "Those cliffs are gonna be too steep to climb... It looks like we're headed over the lake."

Taylor firmly shook his head, his stomach hollowing at the thought of crossing the ice; though he couldn't find the memory connected to the foreboding feeling. "Is it solid enough?" Michelle asked, as Jake's fingers curled around Taylors, his frown of confusion quickly dissolving to concern, as Taylor wrapped himself around the pilot and buried his face in the other mans neck. "I don't need to deal with anyone entering hypothermia from falling through..." She said, leaning around Sean to glare at Taylor. "I'm talking to you, Mr. I can't keep myself out of trouble!" She snarked, but fell silent upon seeing him so distraught. "...  _Taylor?"_  She asked softly, joining the pair as Jake murmured to him quietly, trying to get him to emerge from his neck and explain himself. The blonde exchanged a worried glance with the pilot, before he tipped his chin to the athlete, gently ushering her away.

"Come on, Boy Scout..." Jake muttered quietly, as Taylor squeezed his eyes shut, his head aching from the sense of foreboding he felt; but unable to find a clear memory to show him why. "What is it? What's goin' on..?"

"The ice is clear, which means there's less air trapped inside..." Grace commented, tapping her feet against the hard surface thoughtfully.

"Taylor, come on, talk to me..." Jake murmured, drawing him slightly further away from the group so they could talk more freely. "Is it one of your-"

"Yes... no... I can't..." Taylor hiccupped, frustration welling in himself as he failed to voice his conflicted feelings. "I can't get hold of it..." He whispered, wincing as a rush of pain flooded his head briefly.

"Then stop tryin'..." Jake urged softly, rubbing his back again as he kissed Taylors shoulder, his stubble gazing Taylors cheek briefly.

"I-" Taylor shook his head, drawing back as he reluctantly obeyed the pilot, biting his lip nervously. "Jake... I  _really_  don't like this plan..." Taylor said, his tormented gaze meeting the pilots.

"Well observed," Aleister's loud drawl drew their attention back to the group, as they tested the ice's stability. "Given the thickness and high density, it should be safe enough..."

"See?" Jake said quietly, jostling Taylor lightly and attempting to cheer and reassure Taylor with his usual confident humour. "Good thing we brought Pierre and Marie Curie along." Taylors lip twitched despite his twisting gut, as Aleister and Grace both glanced at Jake in surprise. "What? Don't give me that look!" Jake huffed, scowling back at them as Taylor tried to hide his growing smile. "I know scientific...  _stuff!"_  He snarked, and Taylor finnaly laughed, much to the pilots combined relief and frustration.

"Oh, you were doing so well there too, Top Gun." He sniggered playfully. "Just lost it at the end..." He laughed, as Jake scowled at him.

"Hey, shut up ya little-" his snide comment was cut short, as Taylor suddenly leaned up and kissed him softly, a gentle press of lips and nothing more, before he drew back again. "Well, I'm  _starting_  to forgive ya..." Jake huffed, raising a brow as he frowned down at him. "Not that I mind and all, but, what was that for?"

Taylor looked out across the ice, shaking his head slightly as he took a deep breath and laced his hand together with Jake's. "It's a good luck kiss..." He said quietly, and Jake snorted at the reminder of their previous game.

"You think you're kisses are lucky?" The pilot asked with a smirk, though it faded slowly when Taylor met his gaze seriously.

"God, I hope so..." He whispered, as tentatively, they set out with the rest of the group on the ice.

"Whoa, it's slippery!" Diego gasped, and Taylor snorted, rolling his eyes and sniggering as he wondered what his friend expected it to be like.

"Don't worry." Varyyn replied, holding Diego in a one armed embrace. "I will keep you steady." He said, as they gradually made their way across the smooth, glass like surface.

"If only I had my ice skates..." Quinn sighed longingly, sweeping her feet gently across the ice, as the others made slow and unsteady progress. "This would be a great place to perfect my double axel!"

 _"Nice!"_  Michelle praised, beaming a wide grin at Quinn as she moved similarly, gliding across the ice rather than stumbling on it. "I didn't know you figure skated..."

"Well, I'm not  _great_  at it or anything..." Quinn admitted, flushing with embarrassment, as she smiled back.

"Remind me, if we ever get home, to show you my medals from the Collegiate Championships." Michelle said thoughtfully, giggling as Quinn's jaw dropped and she stumbled.

"Medals..." She gasped, righting herself and staring at the blonde in wide eyed awe.  _"Plural?"_  She choked, as Michelle beamed at her, and winked.

A short while later, as they neared the middle of the lake, Taylor noticed Estela stop and suddenly kneel. He glanced at Jake, who scowled in response, but didn't fight him as he altered their course to slide up behind her. "Estela?" Taylor asked, dropping to his knees beside her, as Jake stood just behind him; his arms folded over his chest as he pointedly looked the other way. "You alright?"

Estela didn't reply, and Taylor felt his heart lurch at the vacant stare on her face, already anticipating what he would see; as she used a gloved hand to clear frost from the ice. The freshly cleared ice was like a sheet of glass, separating them from an object, frozen a few inches below. "Aw, great. Just  _great,_  'cause we ain't got enough of those  _stupid_  things already..." Jake groused, upon glancing down to see the scantily clad amber woman, with wings partially opened behind her. He turned smug however, when he clocked the barrier over it. "Well shucks, what a shame; we can't get to it. Guess we better keep movin'."

"I..." Estela finally said, shaking her head in disbelief, and utterly ignoring Jake's interjection. "I don't know how I knew it was there..."

"Draco." Varyyn said, as he approached slowly with Diego, glancing down at the idol. "I remember Uqzhaal talking about that Vaalta..." He said vaguely, as he refocused on steadying Diego.

Raj rummaged through his messenger bag for something, and after a few moments, he produced a portable burner, and presented it to Taylor. "Hey, you could probably melt it out with this, yeah?" He offered, as Jake groaned and hung his head in defeat.

"Gee,  _thanks,_  Helpy McHelperton." He snarked, glaring at Raj in irritation, as Taylor took a deep breath and accepted the mini blowtorch.

"Alright..." He chirped, his breath escaping him in a rapid gust of nervous energy. "Let's give this a shot." He said, switching on Raj's burner and holding it over the spot where the idol was frozen. After several tortuously long minutes, the ice finally melted enough to dig it out.

"Boy Scout..." Jake warned softly, his hand coming to rest on Taylors shoulder, as he glanced up at him. The pilot sighed, reluctantly squeezing his shoulder in support. "I really  _hate_  those things..." He muttered, as Taylor presented the idol to Estela. Just as her fingers encircled the still dripping amber, the frozen landscape was torn away from him.

He propelled through space and time, unable to perceive his destination until a new scenery snapped into place around him, so quickly he felt considerably nauseated by it. He had no means of working through the sensation, no physical body to wash away the symptoms, and so he suffered in silence, as he looked around the Hartfeld University library.

Estela was sat by herself at a small table, her attention focused on a thick, black volume entitled; The Executioner's Song. If Taylor had been able to, he would have snorted in amusement, finding ber choice in literature to be truly fitting of her nature. He was stunned however, when momenta later, Aleister came walking over; a huge stack of law books wobbling in his arms.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" He asked stiffly, gesturing to the empty chair beside Estela. "All of the other tables seem to be taken..." Estela merely nodded, never once looking up from her reading. "Thanks." Aleister sneered, setting his things down, and venturing a glance at the book in her hands. "True crime... A genre I enjoy as well." He said with an intrigued smirk, his eyes dragging over Estela with a new fascination.

"Hm." She hummed, her eyes flicking over to him briefly, before retuning to the book. Taylor wondered if she even realised who was sat beside her. He recalled what she'd confessed, about enrolling at Hartfeld in order to get close to Rourke's son, and he desperately wished he could understand whether this was a part of some plot she'd concocted or genuine coincidence. He recalled her genuine surprise on the rooftop of The Celestial, when Aleister's true heritage had been revealed, and he decided that she hadn't known who he was.

From behind a nearby row of shelves, Taylor could hear laughter and barely lowered voices talking. " _Did you see that transfer student? Her face looks like she got in a fight with a Slap Chop and lost."_  One voice said lightly, causing a round of giggles to erupt among those gathered.

 _"She's way creepy... I heard her entire family died a bunch of years ago_." Said another, staging a whisper as if it were some sort of amazing conspiracy.

 _"Ahem!"_  Estela cleared her throat loudly, scowling as her eyes stopped moving across the page, instead fixed intently upon a single spot; as her fingers curled into claws around the edge of the book.

" _Yeah, super sketch."_  The first voice confirmed, their disgust evident in their tone _. "I hope she doesn't come on the dorm retreat... I don't wanna worry about getting stabbed in my sleep, you know?"_

" _Hahaha! Ohmygod, for real_!" The second voice replied, and Taylor felt a surge of disgust and irritation as he heard the two girls walk off toward the library's exit. He also felt a faint pinprick of twisted amusement, thinking that if Estela had planned to stab them, she'd have likely done it anywhere but their backs.

His amusement bled into heartache, as he watched Estela fighting with herself, torn between pain and anger, as she stared blankly down at her book. "I, uh..." Aleister coughed, and Taylor felt an immediate rush of warmth for the pale boy, as he cleared his throat and attempted to offer Estela some unfamiliar sense of comfort. "I wouldn't worry about them. Even the sorority queens and head athletes end up falling to the bottom of the pecking order, eventually." He said, and Taylor mentally sighed, utterly lost to the pale boys train of thought. "Trust is a fragile thing, and nowhere more brittle than among the popular crowd." Aleister drawled, and Taylor was surprised, to see Estela nodding along in not understanding; but agreement.

"Longing for acceptance from  _those_  kinds of people, is a waste of time." She said, and Aleister noticeably perked at her reply.

"... Indeed." He said, eyeing her approvingly, as he unknowingly smiled at her. "And if they underestimate people like  _us,_  they do so at their own peril." He added, smirking when Estela's cheeks dusted with pink faintly.

 _"Exactly."_  She said, giving him a slight nod, before turning her attention back to the volume in her hands. Aleister watched her a moment longer, before smiling to himself and pulling a weathered textbook from the top of his stack. The two of them sat comfortably pored over their books in silence, for the remainder of their study break, and as the scene faded, Taylor was rendered utterly thoughtless; as the chemistry between the two lodged in his brain. If he hadn't been so assured of Aleister and Grace's mutual affection for each other, he could well have believed that the pale boy could have made quite the formidable partner for Estela.

He was dragged through time again, moving faster than before, towards a scene which immediately chilled his bones. A cloud of red billowed from the reflecting pool of The Celestial's grand atrium. Lila's body lay crumpled over the basin,the fountain's jets sprinkling onto her, and washing away blood from several stab wounds. Estela's shoulders heaved, as she caught her breath, a knife sliding from her grasp, falling to the floor with a poignant clatter.

"It's  _over,_  Mom." She huffed quietly, her eyes fixed upon Lila's broken body. "I  _did_  it." She said, and her tense stance finally began to relax, until a figure appeared on one of the atrium's balconies

"I owe you much, Estela." Rourke said, his torso bare as he strode up to lean on the balcony railing, his smug attitude exuding from him in waves. Taylor was speared with sadness, recalling Raj's vision with the same strange version of Rourke; and he wondered which of the two preceeded each other.

"...  _You!"_  Estela cried, her eyes widening as she beheld the megalomaniac master of the murderous puppet.

"Gratitude, apologies..." Rourke said indifferently, growing down at her thoughtfully. "Perhaps a bereavement package?" He asked, with the faint hint of a snigger. "Lila was a liability, and I really should've seen to her eradication long ago... Now, you've saved me the trouble!" He said cheerily, raising his hands as if he were the victor of some competition. "As for Olivia, I respected her greatly-"

Estela took her spear from a sling on her back, and carefully readied her throwing stance, snarling over his diatribe as she glared up at him.  _"Snake!_  Don't you  _dare_  speak her name!" She yelled, her face a mask of fury and pain combined.

"I never would've been able to bring myself to kill her." He said sadly, ignoring Estela entirely as he sighed and shook his head. "That's why I needed Lila." He said, gesturing to his dead assassin coldly. "What an elegant development, that her own daughter, would finally close the loop."

" _Die, you filth_!" Estela snarled viciously, launching her spear with everything she had in her. It flew up into the balcony, going right through Rourke.

"If only I had your perfect aim..." Rourke sniggered, utterly unharmed, and flickering in a way which was entirely too familiar for Taylors liking.

 _Iris!_  He thought desperately, recalling how she'd once helped save Raj, by morphing herself into the giant crab.  _Oh my... What did he do to you_..? He wondered desperately, already trying to imagine how he might be able to prevent such an awful thing from happening. Taylors heart stopped, as a loud gunshot rang out through the atrium, and Estela slumped forward, falling to her knees.

 _"Aggh!"_  She gasped, looking down to see a blood stain blossoming like a rose along her abdomen. "No..." She said, scowling as she pushed back to her feet and spun around, to see Rourke; the real Rourke, standing behind her with a gun in his hand. The figure on the balcony disappeared, and a small, spherical drone floated down to hover beside Rourke. "You... bastard..." Estela growled, lurching toward Rourke, only for him to shoot her again, this time in her side.

 _Estela! No, don't_! Taylor thought desperately, as Estela slowed, clutching her side as she glowered at Rourke; her dark eyes filled with utter hatred.

 _"No."_  She said firmly, forcing herself forward once more. "I didn't come... this far..." She huffed, slowly shuffling closer to the maniacal man.

"Stay.  _Down."_  Rourke ordered, scowling as he fired two more shots, clear into Estela's chest. Taylor felt his heart thump painfully, as Estela crumpled, her legs betraying her as her strength faded. Even with a ragged ruin of a body however, she clawed forward along the floor, fury in her eyes; her driving fire.

"K...  _kill you_..." She snarled weakly, her mask of rage never slipping, despite her obvious exhaustion.

"My god." Rourke gasped, his eyes widening as he looked down at her with something akin to respectful awe. "You're  _persistent,_  aren't you?" He said, cocking his head and clicking his tongue, as a smug grin settled on his lips. "Like mother, like daughter, I suppose." He said, squatting down over her, and pressing the barrel of the gun to her temple. "Goodbye, Estela Montoya. I wish, this could have worked out differently." He said, flashing a brief, commiserating grimace, as his finger squeezed the trigger.

Taylor gasped, as in the blink of an eye, he found himself back at the frozen lake. He was thankful for the fact he hadn't had to actually watch Estela die, though what he had seen had certainly been traumatic enough, and he released a shuddering sigh as he huddled into himself, cold despite his thick clothing. He felt Jake's hands on his shoulders, squeezing reassuringly and gently massaging the suddenly tense muscles within.

"You look frightened." Estela said, frowning at him curiously, as he raised his haunted eyes to her confused ones. "What's wron-"

She was cut off abruptly, when Taylor threw himself at her, encompassing her in a tight hug from which she was unable to escape. She looked to Jake, desperately seeking his aide, but he merely shook his head and heaved a heavy sigh, his gaze hard and sad at once as he watched Taylor tremble. Estela awkwardly patted Taylors back, and after several moments of tense silence, Taylor finally drew away to drag his arm over his face. "Let's..." He said, swallowing thickly and painting a huge smile on his face. "Let's keep moving." He said, pushing to his feet and snatching Jake's hand up in his own, squeezing tightly.

"Wait, Taylor..." Estela said, following him up and offering him the idol. "Here. You're collecting these, right?" She asked, glancing at Jake in surprise when he snatched the idol and shoved it roughly into Taylors bag.

"I hate these stupid goddamn things." The pilot muttered darkly, before gently tugging Taylor onwards. "You holdin' up okay there, Boy Scout?" He asked quietly, glancing down at Taylor worriedly.

"I'm holding..." Taylor replied quietly, squeezing Jake's hand in appreciation of his support. As they moved forward, the lake narrowed sharply, becoming a strait lined with imposing cliffs.

Jake stopped walking, seeming suddenly alarmed as he pulled Taylor close beside him.  _"Crap."_  He growled, his expression morphing into a scowl as he looked around expectantly. "Bad timing."

"Jake..." Taylor murmured, squeezing his hand as the pilot glanced down at him. "I think I just figured out what the bad feeling was about..." He said, as his gut twisted sharply with nausea, his head aching at the imminent memory reenactment.

"Stay close to me..." Jake muttered, pulling him closer and slightly behind him, as Taylor leaned his head against the pilots shoulder, attempting to quell his sickness.

"Ugh, you eat the raw octopus back at the Vaanti feast too?" Raj asked forlornly, but looking up suddenly, when a chorus of revving engines echoed through the air around them.

Arachnid troops on aki bikes roared put from around the cliffs, speeding across the lake to encircle their group. Jake scowled at them, as they moved, attempting to keep Taylor behind him at the centre of their group, away from the troops.  _"Surpriiiiiise!"_  Yalled the huge brute with metallic hands, and Taylors nausea was swept away by a blazing tide of fury, remembering the mans taunting from Craig's idol vision.

"You!" He growled, scowling at the surprised expression on the leader of the surprise attack, the sound of Craig's final rasping breath ringing in his ears. "I don't like you." He sneered, as the bikes came rumbling to a halt around them, and the hulking brute stepped off.

"Looks like you reached the end of the line." The brute said menacingly, clanking his metal hands together.  _"You..._  Fiddler told me 'bout you. Got quite the little mouth on you, she said... She's got  _plans_  on what to do about that." He added, pointing to Taylor smugly.

"She can go to bloody hell, I'm the only one who gets to make plans for any part of him." Jake snarked, tugging Taylor further behind him, and eyeing the brute with a dismissive snort. "New recruit, huh? Lundgren ain't what you think, pal..." He warned, as the brute's expression hardened, his eyes narrowing at Jake spitefully.

"Not just a recruit," the hulking man huffed darkly, his dislike of Jake radiating from his sarcastic tone. "I'm your  _replacement,_  Jakey-Wakey."

"Listen up, Amateur Hour." Jake snarked, glaring at the hulking brute and gesturing rudely, making Taylor snigger proudly. "If you can't even come up with a decent nickname, don't waste my time!" He growled, as Taylor rubbed his arm and glared over his shoulder at the brute. "Lundgren must be packin' those cigars with something funny, if he thinks he can put Inspector Gadgets idiot cousin in my spot."

Taylor flinched, frowning at Jake at the strange phrasing. "What do  _you_  care who he put in your goddamn place?" He whispered furiously, a bitter taste risi n g at the back of his throat.

 _"What?!"_  Jake demanded back in the same low tone, glancing down at Taylor with his own frown. "It's a matter of principle. I mean, this clown, replacing me?  _Pfft,_  come on."

"Uh, guys..?" Diego hedged, trying to distract them from their own heated exchange to the armed soldiers, watching them argue with blatant amusement.

"I repeat;  _what the hell_   _do you care_?!" Taylor snapped, jerking his hand free from Jake's as his stomach twisted, sensing the resurrection of his jealousy as he anticipated Jake's response.

"Come on, Boy Scout; can you really see this guy matchin' up to  _me?!"_  The pilot snorted, shaking his head as he ignored the brute and turned towards Taylor instead. "I mean shit, if this is supposed to be  _my_  equal, what the hell did they replace M-"

"Yeah. _Of course_." Taylor snarked, his heart splintering with the combined guilt and jealousy he felt, unable to stand hearing the name fall from Jake's lips. "Should have known; it was all about  _him."_  He said sourly, averting his eyes as Jake clearly flinched.

"Oh man, Boss was right... He  _is_  a 'lil spitfire!" The brute of a man laughed, clapping his metal hands together as he watched the way Jake stared at Taylor in wide eyed shock, suspicious realisation setting in. "Man, no wonder he likes the idea of keepin' you as a trophy, just like little  _Mousey..."_  He sniggered, Taylors temper flared. In his irritation, he almost didn't notice Jake throw himself at the brute, barely managing to catch him around the middle; attempting to keep a fierce hold on him.

"Why don't you just shut the hell up, Astro Boy?" The pilot snapped, struggling against Taylor as he tried to reach the hulk of a man taunting them do openly. "Lundgren's gonna use you up, and spit you out for spare parts when he's finished!" He snarled, and Taylor flinched at the reminder of Craig's idol vision.

"That's  _Tetra_  to  _you!"_  The brute snarked, crashing his great metallic fists together loudly. "...Heh. Talk all you want, traitor." He said, smirking as he held his hands up before him. "I have the upper hand... In fact _, I have two_!" He laughed, as the motors on his mechanical fists whined, gaining power as he readied them.

Taylor snarled at the brute, barely noticing Sean looking over at him in his focused hatred and irritation. He yanked Jake back, shoving him towards the others and jabbing a finger at him threateningly.  _"You,_  quit such a  _goddamn_  idiot! You  _know_  this guys an asshole, stop buying into his  _bullshit!"_  He snapped, before rounding on the brute himself. "As for  _you;_  what the  _hell_  is your goddamn problem? Huh? Why do you want is dead so badly, you're willing to go against orders?"

"Oh, I'm not gonna kill  _you,_  sweetcheeks, just your little boyfriend over there... And the rest of your friends." Tetra sniggered, almost playful now he wasn't having to talk to Jake. "It's nothing personal. A job's a job; though do I admit... Jakey-Wakey here is a score I been wanting to nab for awhile now. Lucky for me, Mr. Rourke happens to know, how to put his money where his mouth is."

"Guess its too bad Lundgren will backstab you before you can get paid then, huh?" Taylor snorted, winking sarcastically at the brute before turning away and shaking his head.

"Taylors right about that." Jake called, though he was clearly distracted as he refused to look over to either Taylor or Tetra, instead frowning at the ice. "I don't think you know what you got yourself into, Tin Man."

"Oh?" Tetra asked smugly, sniggering when Jake's expression turned angry once more, as the pilot finally looked over at him. "And why would he backstab me?"

"Lundgren is  _only_  loyal to himself!" Jake roared, his frustration clear even to Taylor, who swallowed heavily; unable to bring himself to look at the pilot from the shame, irritation and other assortment of emotions he felt swarmed by. "The moment that bastard thinks he can get you to take the fall for him, you're gone." He snarled, his voice breaking with pain, regret and anger. "You'll  _never_  see it coming." He promised darkly, as Taylor felt something inside his splintered heart shrivel, bile rising in his throat as his eyes pricked with tears.

 _Fucking prioritize, Taylor_! He scolded himself, forcing all the awful emotions he could into a dark corner of his mind, and turning back to Tetra, as the brute began to laugh snidely.

"Last I checked," he goaded, taunting Jake as he pointed a metal finger at him. "It was  _you_  who did the betraying, Jakey-Wakey." He said, noticing Sean run toward a pair of soldiers. He raised one of his mechanical arms and deployed a fist towards the athlete, and Taylor felt his heart lurch fearfully. He saw a glimmer in the air around them, and he quickly reached for them; yanking harshly at the strands of time and slowing the brute's metal fist, giving Sean an opportunity to just barely, jump out of the way.

He gasped, as the hydraulic limb instead smashed into the surface of the frozen lake, time snapping back into place as the ice heaved beneath him.  _"W-whoa!"_  He gasped, as cracks appeared in the ice. He lost his balance, tumbling down hard and groaning at the dull thud his head made upon colliding with the ice.

 _"Taylor!"_  His name erupted like a chorus from his friends, and he waved a hand to show he was still with them, which was quickly grabbed, as Jake dropped to his knees beside him.

"Hey, you still with me?" Jake demanded, his expression conflicted. His clear eyes were laced with concern, as they ran over him worriedly, lingering on where he'd most recently hit his head; while his body remained stiff, guarded and alert at once.

Taylor glanced up at the pilot, shame heating his cheeks as he bit his lip and nodded.  _"Always."_  He muttered, sniffing to drive back the tears which threatened to overwhelm him. The pilot paused, his hard edge seeming to soften momentarily, before returning full force; as the surrounding soldiers leveled their rifles at the group.

" **Do not move**!" One ordered, the blue light of their helmet glowing unnaturally amid all the ice.

Tetra retracted his arm, and grinned at Jake. "You can come with us, or we can kill you right here." He said smugly, his metal hand whirring to the ready. "Your choice."

Taylor met Jake's eyes, and a sense of understanding swept through him; neither was about to risk the other for their own stubbornness. He opened his mouth, ready to apologise, to plead forgiveness, to explain; but nothing passed his lips. His voice strained within his throat, but after a pregnant pause, he closed his mouth and lowered his eyes in shame.  _What the hell can I say, exactly_? He thought, sighing as Jake silently got to his feet and kept a tight hold of his hand to help him up as well.  _There are no words for this_. He silently chastised himself, scowling down at his own balled hand. As he climbed back to his feet with Jake's help, he noticed something slip from his bag, which went rolling across the ice.

"The Island's Heart!" Varyyn exclaimed, moving to intercept the sacred crystal, only to stop with a snarl; as a gun was leveled at him.

"Someone grab it!" Diego cried, as Taylor dove after the Heart himself, but missed the sphere as it slid across the ice, coming to a stop at Quinn's feet. Her eyes rose to his, and he instantly understood her intention.

"Quinn..." Taylor warned, scrabbling to try and regain his footing.  _"Don't!"_  He pleaded, as Quinn shook her head at him.

"It's our only chance!" She said, crouching down to close her hand around The Island's Heart.

 _"No!_  Quinn-" Taylor broke off with a heavy gasp, his head pounding and his chest almost caving with pain, as an unseen force lifted Quinn into the air. Her eyes became twin motes of blazing green, as her hair floated about her face, as if underwater. "Quinn..." He choked, struggling to crawl closer to her, as he fought to catch his breath.

 _"Taylor!"_  Jake cried, his knees slamming to the ice beside him, pulling him into the pilots lap. "What the... I-" he muttered desperately, his eyes wide as Taylor grit his teeth together and tried to breathe, his heart hammering as power radiated from Quinn in waves. "Taylor, I... What can I-" the pilot asked frantically, gripping his hand tightly and running his gaze over him, utterly lost for how he could help him.

"You... already  _are..."_  He bit out, squeezing Jake's hand back weakly, as he raised his pained, and ashamed gaze to the pilots. "Jake... I'm sorry..." He hissed, crying out as he felt a powerful pull from within his chest. "I'm so-"

"Taylor,  _focus!"_  Jake barked, his gaze hardening as Taylor visibly deteriorated before his eyes. "Everything else can bloody well wait. Right now; what do I  _do?!"_  He demanded pleadingly, and Taylor swallowed down his pain, forcing himself to think.

"Quinn..." He choked, gesturing weakly to where the redhead floated in the air, glowing green orbs narrowed in a fierce glare. "Get... get me to... Quinn."

Jake looked over to Quinn, and he nodded as he swallowed heavily. "Right. Of  _course."_  He huffed, glancing back at Taylor. "Always in the thick of it, huh?" Taylor hissed, as Jake pushed to his feet, pulling Taylor alongside him. "Okay, Boy Scout, here we go..." He encouraged, ignoring everyone around them, as they stared at the hovering Quinn in shock.

"W-what kind of..." Craig stuttered, his eyes blown wide as he stared up at the redhead in awe.

"... freaky B-grade..." Diego chanted, shaking his head in disbelief, as he hesitantly stepped back from their possessed friend.

"... Mushrooms did I-" Raj began dejectedly, before shaking his head abruptly, his jaw dropping as he realised he wasn't hallucinating. "I mean, are we in a horror film?!"

"That ain't normal." Tetra muttered fearfully, staring up at Quinn in blatant terror. "Shoot her!" He yelled, and several of his troops hastened to ready their weapons.

 _"No!"_  Taylor gasped, trying to hurry alongside Jake, but struggling beneath the crippling pain in his chest. He had a sudden, profound sympathy for everyone who ever had one of those weird aliens pop out of their chests, in the creepy film Diego told him about.

"Sir, her radiation levels are off the-" one soldier began to report, only for Tetra to grab them by the collar and scream in their face.

"Do it!" He ordered, and without further hesitation, the Arachnid troops simultaneously opened fire on Quinn.

 ** _"No."_**  The possessed girl said calmly, her normally playful voice distorted by thick waves of power, as she extended a hand slowly. Immediately, all the bullets slowed, until they were crawling through the air. Taylor cried out at the surge of power, his chest aching like he'd just been shot; similarly to how he'd only a short time before seen Estela be in her idols vision.

"Just a little further, Boy Scout... C'mon, you got this..." Jake murmured in encouragement, helping him shuffle ever closer to Quinn. The redhead dropped her hand, and the projectiles clattered to the ice harmlessly. "I didn't sign up for this kinda stuff..." Taylor heard the pilot mutter to himself, and he glanced up with a twisted parody of a grin.

"Regretting... takin' the job..?" He huffed, before breaking off into a coughing fit, his chest aching the closer he got to Quinn; and to the empowered Heart.

Jake glanced at Taylor with a frown, as if genuinely confused by his question. He stared at Taylor intently for a long second, trying to assess if he was serious. Whatever he found in answer seemed to frustrate him, as he scowled and turned away. "... Not a chance." He said quietly, locking his gaze ahead of them as Taylors mind went blank, lost to the severity of Jake's intense gaze.

He shifted his eyes, looking up as they neared Quinn, who reached put toward a group of soldiers as if she were trying to push them away. " _Get... **out**  of here_!" She ordered, and instantly, green fire erupted around them. Their bodies gradually became translucent, as I they were being pulled through time.

"Hey, idiots! Don't just stand there, run!" Jake groused, shoving Sean with his shoulder as he stumbled past with Taylor.

Sean snapped out of his stunned reverie, and clapped his hands for the others attention. "Guys, run!" He called, and Estela, Raj and Michelle all raced to his side, fleeing the chaos. However, the remaining soldiers closed ranks, blocking the rest of their group from escaping; and blocking Jake and Taylor from proceeding any closer to Quinn.

"Oh yes.  _Run."_  Tetra sneered, gearing up his arms to attack their backs, as they ran. "With your tails between your legs... Not that it'll do you much good!" He laughed, pointing both fists at the ice and deploying them repeatedly.

"Is he freakin'  _crazy?!"_  Craig cried, as a web of widening fissures crossed the lake. Jake swore, backing up several steps, as a great crack raced along the ice before them.

"It's beginning to break up!" Grace cried, staring at the breaking ice in abject horror.

"Yeah it is!" Tetra laughed, as the remaining Arachnid troops scattered quickly. Everyone began to flee towards the cliffs, as Taylor and Jake hesitated, instead creeping closer to Quinn.

"We... can't leave her..." Taylor huffed, as the redhead herself floated upward, the otherworldly light around her, catching in falling teardrops.

 _"I am in pieces._.." Quinn wailed brokenly, her voice warbling with power and pain alike. " _They've taken everything_..." She sighed, her glowing eyes closing in despair.

"Quinn!" Taylor gasped, gripping his chest as he fell to his knees, a short distance from her, Jake stubbornly remaining at his side. "Or... Whoever... Please, listen!" He coughed, raising a trembling finger to point at the ignorant Tetra. "That man... broke you..!"

"...  _What?"_  Quinn demanded slowly, her eyes peeling open to reveal the acidic green glow once more. She gazed down at Tetra with her eyes wide, who was still oblivious as he continued to gleefully shatter the lake.

"Yeah, look at him!" Zahra added, catching onto Taylors plan quickly, as he grimaced and fell forward to his hands, the ice beneath him splattering with red as he coughed harder with Quinn's rising fury. "Now he's breaking more stuff!"

Quinn's eyes narrowed slowly, her obvious ire contiuing to build, as her hair began to wave around her faster. "Eh?" Tetra hummed, looking up as power radiated from Quinn, causing Taylor to grit his teeth in an attempt to contain a scream.

"I got ya, Boy Scout... I got ya..." Jake reassured, as Taylor growled through his pain, squeezing the pilots hand hard as it slid into his own.

" _This time... **You will break**_!" Quinn cried, reaching for Tetra's mechanical limbs, which rapidly rusted; only to implode, right before his eyes.

 _"Gahhhh!"_  Tetra screamed, fleeing across the fracturing ice as fast as he could. Quinn hovered after him, her furious glare locked onto his retreating form.

"This is just like the end of  _Frozen!"_  Diego cried, grabbing hold of Varyyn's hand without thinking. "Except with, like,  _The Exorcist_  happening at the same time..!"

"She should let it go!" Varyyn cried, his eyes locked onto Quinn's floating body. "Quinn,  _let it go_!" He called after her.

"Wait..." Diego frowned, forgettin this surroundings entirely as he looked at Varyyn in confusion. "How did you-" he began, only for an unbearable crackling sound to fill the air, cutting him off as the ice sheet gave way.

 _"Go!"_  Jake barked, scowling at them all as he held Taylor close.  _"Get off the ice!_ " He ordered, and Varyyn quickly nodded, picking Diego up and hopping nimbly across great floating platforms of ice.

"I feel like I just lost some of my dignity..." Diego grumbled, but allowed Varyyn to set him down gently, at the edge of the lake.

"Jake... Go..." Taylor huffed, shoving at the pilots shoulder. He pushed himself up to his knees, sucking in a deep breath as the pain eased slightly, Quinn's outburst of power over for the moment. He focused the remaining pain into determination, growling as he forced his feet to stand beneath him. "Look, I'm okay... now  _go!"_  He ordered, shoving harder as he felt a sharp stab of pain in his chest.

"I ain't buyin' it, Taylor!" Jake snarled, pulling him closer, as a jumble of uneven surfaces shifted beneath them. "I  _ain't_  leavin' you." He whispered furiously, and if he were able to feel anything past the consuming pain in his chest, Taylor was sure his heart would have flipped at the promise.

 _"W-whoa..!"_  He gasped, as the ice beneath them shifted again. Struggling against the pain radiating within him, he glanced around to see several of their friends in trouble. "Jake... help Sean,  _quick_  before... he drowns!" He pleaded, shoving the pilot towards where Sean was struggling to keep his head above the surface, the ice he'd been standing on having tipped him in when it shifted suddenly.

"Aw,  _shit..."_  Jake groaned, moving to help Sean before glancing back at Taylor with a firm glare.  _"Stay."_  He ordered, and Taylor chopped a rough salute in response, before rh pilot hurried away to help Sean out of the freezing water.

Taylor bit his lip, doubling over and clutching at his chest briefly, as Jake was occupied helping Sean. He forced himself back upright, looking downstream to see Zahra trapped on a fast moving ice flow, hurtling toward the far end of the lake. "Not good...  _Not good_!" He heard her chanting, and he liked around frantically for anyway hw could help.

"Craig!" He yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth so the jock would hear him. When Craig turned towards him, he pointed to Zahra, and even as Craig's eyes widened; the jock was already in motion.

Taylor winced, dropping to a knee as he huffed for breath, gritting hs teeth against the pain determinedly. He looked up to see Aleister nearly lose his grip, while clinging to a sheer cliff, above churning plates of ice. He bit his lip, hesitating as he scanned for anyone who could help, but came up empty. Furball yipped, as he hopped across the sheets of ice, skidding to a halt beside Taylor and peering up intently. "Just... so you know... I'm blaming this... on  _you."_  Taylor hissed, as he took a deep breath, and lurched unsteadily toward the cliff face Aleister was desperately clinging to.

"Save yourself, Taylor!" Aleister called, and Taylor would have rolled his eyes, if he weren't so exhausted from the residual pain in his chest. "I don't think I can hold on much longer..."

"Shut  _up..._  Aleister..." Taylor huffed, as ran in circles at Taylors feet, breathing frost on the watery gaos between several ice floes. "Okay... think its safe... Can you try... to climb down..?" He panted, leaning heavily against the cliff, as he tried to catch his breath.

Aleister hesitated, but finally began to find his way down the rock face. Toward the bottom, he let go, landing safely on the ice. "Thanks, Taylor... and thanks to our guardian!" Aleister sighed in relief, before raising a brow at Taylors state. "Come on then, let's rescue you now, hmm?" He suggested, attempting to loop Taylors arm around his shoulder only for Taylor to shove him ahead.

"I'm not leaving... without Quinn..." He panted, rubbing his chest absently. Aleister scowled, reaching for him again, only to be rebuffed once more. "Please, Aleister... Go check... on Grace." He pleaded, pointing to where the dark skinned girl was watching them with obvious fear.

"That was a low blow, Taylor." Aleister commented, sneering down at him, before moving away to do as he'd been bid. "Be careful." Aleister called over his shoulder, and Taylor huffed in pained amusement, thinking that it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference what he was at this point.

Glancing back towards the others, Taylor saw Jake finally succeed at pulling Sean from the water, though there seemed to be a lot of cursing involved. Sean's skin had turned blue from the frigid water, and he was shaking badly. Zahra was cocooned within Craig's arms, blood dripping from a dark gash at her side. He frowned, hearing the roar of water, and feeling a spray of mist at his back. He turned to find the floe beneath him, rapidly approaching a massive waterfall. "Oh, crap... Oh, crap...  _Oh, shi-"_

"They're going to go over!" Aleister gasped, and Taylor groaned at the pale boy drawing attention to his predicament, as Furball scrambled up his leg to sit on his shoulders.

 _"Taylor!"_  Jake yelled, catching sight of him, his eyes wide with frantic panic. He glanced back, fighting off a grimace in case this was to be the final time the pilot saw him, before looking around desperately. He caught sight of ice still firmly attached to the edge of the lake, and as he prepared to jump off the floe, a shadow appeared on the water.

He looked up, to see Quinn descending from the sky, blocking his path.  _"Broken..."_  She murmured, a thousand voices seeming to whisper alongside her own, each shrouded in pain. Taylor swallowed hard, fighting down the pain which wanted him to sink to his knees, and instead reached out to touch her.

"Quinn..." He choked, as his touch didn't seem to work. The possessed redhead glared at him, her emerald flames smoldering in her eyes.

 _"I will never be whole_..." She groaned, her hair rising above her as if caught in howling winds. Taylor glanced at the rapidly approaching waterfall, desperately looking for strands of time he could use to halt his imminent demise.  ** _"Never!"_**

"That's  _not..._  true!" Taylor yelled, frustration biting back against the pain, as he glared up at Quinn. "It's me, Quinn! I need you... to fight it!" He ordered breathlessly, trying to feed his irritation while also trying to ignore the pain from Quinn's own rising temper.  _"Try_  to remember... who you are. Think... about the things we've... been through, together." He demanded, his gaze faltering as he beheld Quinn's contorted expression and her possessed, glowing eyes. "Quinn, do you remember... That bridge... In Elyys'tel..?" He asked, giving into the pain and sinking to his knees, as he stared up at her with a broken gaze. "Quinn... I don't think... any of us... has ever been so devastated... than when we thought... we lost you..." He admitted, his gaze lowering to the almost arrived waterfall, and he hissed as pain swamped his chest.

"We'd won the battle... and I thought everything... would be okay." He choked out, coughing briefly before forcing himself to suck in a deep breath and push onwards. "Instead, you and I... sat on that bridge... And, one of my worst nightmares... started coming true... and there was  _nothing..._  I could-" he trailed off, collapsing to his hands as he began to cough fitfully, dislodging Furball from his shoilderas his body heaved.

"But... you  _did."_  Quinn gasped, her eyes widening as she stared down at Taylor, recognition blossoming in her expression.

"... Quinn..." Taylor choked, pressing his forehead to the ice as relief flooded him, knowing the redhead would be okay.

"You  _saved_  me, Taylor..."Quinn whispered, her voice filled with awe, as she closed her eyes. The roaring waterfall was suddenly silenced, the bob of the ice floe beneath Taylor ceased, and even the churning tide seemed to stop in place. Taylor coughed heavily, hearing the rapid approach of footsteps from behind him.

Moments later, a great crash reverberated through the ice beneath him, a body colliding with the ice floe; before strong arms curled around him, and scooped him from the ground. He looked up blearily, to see Jake frowning at him, his eyes dancing with fear as he looked away at something Taylor couldn't see. The pilots mouth moved, but he heard nothing, as if the world were muted around him. He caught more movement from the corner of his eye, and he tiredly peered over, to see Quinn floating to the shore, Jake following with Taylor held tight in his arms, and Furball at his feet.

As soon as Quinn was above the solid ground, Estela's fist collided with The Island's Heart in Quinn's hands, knocking it out of her grasp. Quinn dropped to the ground beside the water, and instantly the pounding of the waterfall resumed. As it did, so did all other sound in Taylors world. He gasped suddenly, a huge gulp of air rushing to his lings at once, as he began to cough violently.  _"Taylor!?"_  Jake cried, dropping to his knees and propping him upright, rubbing his back and attempting to help ease whatever he was going through. Taylor felt the pain in his chest recede slightly, with The Islands Heart no longer lending its power to Quinn, and he sucked in huge gulps of air between bouts of coughing. Finally, he was able to sit back in Jake's arms, exhausted; but over the worst of his ordeal.

"Hey..." He croaked, peering up at Jake tiredly. "Nice bedside manner you got there, Top Gun..." He murmured sleepily, and Jake gave a semi hysterical laugh in response, his shoulders sagging in obvious relief.

"That so?" He asked, brushing away some of the damp hair which had become plastered to Taylors brow. "So tell me, what happened to 'stay'?" He added, and Taylor frowned as he gestured over to the small blue fox.

"Furball made me..." He said, as Furball snorted and flicled his tail in irritation, sending a small flurry of snowflakes his way. "Don't get all fussy with me, I  _told_  you I'd blame you." He muttered, grinning faintly as he looked back up at Jake. The smile faded from his lips, guilt and shame weighing heavily on his heart as he considered his actions. "Jake, I-"

"Not now, Boy Scout." Jake said, swallowing thickly, as he tried to keep his emotions from his gaze. "Let's just... focus on one shitstorm at a time." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. Taylor nodded, his heart aching as he silently accepted the pilots terms.

He glanced over to where Quinn was slowly sitting up. "Estela..?" She mumbled, rubbing her head faintly, as she looked up at the dark haired girl. "What...  _happened..?"_

"Oh, sorry." Estela said quickly, offering her hand to the redhead hesitantly, and pulling her to her feet. "You were, uh..." She hedged, as the others cane running over to join them. "Um, you were..."

" _You were floating in the sky using superpowers_!" Raj exclaimed, his eyes wide as he waved his arms emphatically.  _"Super... Powers!"_

"Is she alright?" Michelle asked worriedly, hurrying through the group. "Let me see her!" She demanded, rushing to Quinn and wrapping her arms around her on a brief hug, before stepping back again.

Everyone stared at Quinn, not seeming to know quite what to say to her. "Hey," Taylor called tiredly, smiling when Quinn looked over worriedly. "You okay now, Quinn?" He asked, as she hurried over and dropped to her knees beside him, taking his hand and squeezing them against her cheek.

"I think so... Thanks, Taylor." She whispered, exchanging a brief worried frown with Jake, before smiling back at the group. "And you too, Estela!" She said, releasing Taylors hands and pushing to her feet. She was about to turn back to the others, when something caught her eye. She gazed past everyone, focused entirely on something in the distance.

A tall building atop a spire of rock, alone in a white haze. Aleister sighed, instantly able to recognize the strange building. "My fathers facility." He said quietly.

"I guess..." Quinn said slowly, turning to face the others. "We're finally going _home..."_ She said, and Taylor winced at the reminder. He felt his heart began to race, grief bubbling in his chest as tears pricked his eyes. He allowed them to fall, too tired to fight them back, knowing that if even if anyone noticed; he would be able to pass them off as his lingering exhaustion. With a hitched breath, he closed his eyes, and welcomed the darkness that awaited him.


	14. Last Chance To Turn Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not gonna lie. This chapter and I do NOT like each other, like AT ALL.  
> I don't know if its just me, but I'm passionately locked into hate with it - and even an extra day to tamper has just made me feel, well... not good. 
> 
> So, I hope this isn't as awful as I feel it is. I hope it is in fact enjoyable and that I'm just being pessimistic and irritable with myself.  
> Having said that; apologies in advance, just in case you're disappointed. 
> 
> Either way; please don't hesitate to let me know - and if I can, I will of course attempt to fix things up when I come to re-edit everything.
> 
> Thankyou everyone for your love and support so far; you're amazing and I love you all so much just for reading, let alone the wonderful feedback you give me <3
> 
> x My love to you all x

_**Dear Jake;** _

_Let me just say now, in case I didn't make it clear enough at the time... But, of all the things we'd shared together, hearing those words; from you, kinda made my head spin. In a good way, of course. I mean, as good a way as a spinning head can be..._

_Um, this is not what I intended to be saying here... Suffice to say that, of all the times that we had been together, spent together, as a group or just; us... I can't think of a time we were ever, truly, closer._

**14.**

**Last Chance To Turn Back**.

Taylor crouched on the edge of a cliff, thinking back on their journey, the trials and tribulations they'd faced; and he could think of nothing worse, than the thick coil of jealousy he'd given into. After taking a brief break from the world, having apparently passed out for a rough half hour, he was feeling considerably refreshed. He assumed Michelle had been at the magical leaves once more, but he hadn't asked, leaving the blonde to try and see to the others, as he silently moped and contemplated his own idiocy.

He raised his eyes to the rushing waterfall churning beside him, squinting thoughtfully as it poured its contents two thousand feet into the sea below, where it had very nearly dumped him.  _I really have gotta get a handle on this._  He thought, shaking his head as he tossed a pebble off the side of the cliff, watching it fall through the air. _I can't keep getting bent outta shape everytime the guy is mentioned. He was a huge part of Jake's life, its natural he would have lo_ \- he snipped the thought off before it could flourish, shooing back the jealousy before it could take root. He scowled at his toes, knocking thee more pebbles off the side in quick succession, as he shook his head.

 _I will not be a jealous asshat. I will not be jealous of a dead man._  He thought firmly, closing his eyes and reaching into his heart for some of his deepest roots of determination. _I will not let this stupidness ruin what we do have._  He thought firmly, a small grin curling his lips.

 _And what is that exactly? Good sex?_  A smaller voice spoke up in his mind, the doubt which niggled in the darkness of his heart. His small grin faded, hus expression turning cold as he gazed across the strait, toward the craggy pillar of rock, crowned with a towering, cutting edge facility.  _You have magical memories of your many repetitions of this life... What if you've just learned how best to impress him? What if the only reason he's interested, is because of this your own stacked up feelings? Hell, it's not like he'll even remember you in a weeks time anyway; back in the real world, while you're stuck here... Alone_... He grabbed his head, muttering to himself as he squeezed his eyes shut tight, as if it might keep the little voice away. "Shut up, shut up,  _shut up..!"_  He whispered furiously, shaking his head in denial.

 _I know my heart, I know how I feel_. He told himself firmly, opening his eyes as he sucked in a deep breath. _I have to trust Jake to do the same... whatever that happens to be._  He thought, and he was relieved when the little voice fell silent, seeming to find no fault in his logic.

"Doin' alright, down there?" Jake asked, causing Taylor to yelp and flinch, as he shot to his feet and spun around quickly. He wobbled for a moment, but Jake's hand shot out and grabbed a hold of his wrist, a cocky smirk curling the pilots lips as he shook his head. "Jumpy, huh?" He sniggered, though Taylor could see the genuine concern in his gaze.

"I was... just thinking." Taylor hedged, replying honestly, though with no intention of elaborating. Jake seemed to sense as much, and merely snorted, before gesturing him pay attention to the pale boy with them.

"So, this is it." Aleister said, eyeing his fathers isolated building distastefully. "The  **MASADA**  Complex."

"We all knew your dad had a complex, Malfoy." Jake sniggered, as he turned away from Taylor, eyeing the building with a low whistle "Now he's just getting blatant about it."

"If Iris is telling the truth, the ticket home; is somewhere in there." Taylor said, rubbing the back of his neck as he examined the building, a hollowness in his stomach which he sensed wouldn't be satisfied by food.

"So, this... Lernal Gate-" Jake began, and Taylor sniggered despite himself, at the pilots mispronunciation, his lips twitching with amusement as Jake winked at him and brushed the back of his hand against Taylors.

"Lernaean Gate." Aleister corrected with a sniff, peering at the pilot disdainfully. "The lake of Lerna was the lair of the Hydra, in Greek myth." He explained, folding his arms over his chest imperiously.

"Sure... 'Cause,  _that's_  not ominous at all." Jake scoffed, shaking his jacket out on his shoulders. "Anyway; we have to get inside, find this Lernaean Gate... and if The Island's Heart can power it..." He listed, as Taylor rolled his eyes at his over caution.

"It can take everyone home." Taylor assured, he said, opening his bag to show off the Islands Heart, which Estela had returned to his bag, much to Jake's frustration. The shattered orb gleamed, filled with colourful prisms.

"Still sounds like a trap to me." Jake groused, his eyes darting to Taylor briefly, before settling back onto the Heart in blatant disgust. He reached over and closed Taylors bag with a grimace, their eyes meeting awkwardly for a moment, before Aleister scoffed and stole their attention.

"Is this your brilliant 'gut instinct' again, Jacob?" The pale boy snarled, his lip curling in distaste. "The one that's never, ever gotten us into trouble before?" He demanded, raising a brow as Taylor frowned thoughtfully.

"Uh, I don't think he  _has_  actually..." He said quietly, scratching his ear guiltily. "I think most of the plans that got us in trouble were uh...  _mine..."_  He coughed awkwardly, pointedly averting his gaze as his cheeks flushed with heat. "Look, you know what I believe, but... I still think we need to be ready for whatever they might spring on us, guys." He said, turning back as he gestured towards the great building. "If there's even a  _chance,_  the Gate is in there..." He said, pulling in a deep breath in an attempt to steady his pounding heart. "Well, then we have to take it. We just have to stay alert, and go in with a plan." He said, smiling softly at his friends, knowing that soon; they'd be safe. He repeatedly told himself firmly that, that was enough for him.

"So, you think I'm being foolish to believe her?" Aleister demanded, and Taylors expression faltered, hardening as he scowled over at the pale boy.

"I know damn well you're not, so stop acting like such a spoilt brat." He snarked, feeling faintly vindicated when Aleister lowered his eyes. "I  _know_  Iris wants to help; but I also know Rourke is in there, and likely expecting us, thanks to Lila..." He sniffed, folding his arms over his chest pointedly.

"Relax," Jake soothed, resting a hand on his arm, though he kept his eyes on Aleister. "Boy Scout's just being cautious." He explained, and Taylor felt his heart blip, when the pilots hand dropped from his arm again, immediately missing his comforting touch. "But, none of this even matters, if we can't figure out a way in."

"The only way across is this gondola..." Taylor said thoughtfully, raising his brows as he tipped his chin towards it. "Which is made of glass, so we'd be se-" he broke off with a distracted hum, a thought suddenly occurring to him.

"Of course." Aleister sneered, rolling his eyes in frustration. "Knocking on the front door will work splendidly, no doubt."

"They'd see us coming, a literal mile away." Jake concluded, his face falling as he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "We need a plan." He said, looking around the group hopefully. "Any ideas?"

"Well..." Taylor hedged, flicking his eyes up to the pilots, who raised a brow in intrigue at his thoughtful expression. "Seems to me the best thing to do is hide in plain sight..."

"How would we even  _do_  such a thing?" Aleister exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Well look," Taylor said, gesturing towards the  **MASADA**  Complex. "There's no way in  _hell,_  we can climb down this cliff, and back up the pillar. There's one way in, and one way only; the gondola." He said, shrugging his shoulders as he spread his palms. "The  _real_  question, is how do we ride it across,  _without_  being immediately captured?"

"Hm." Aleister hummed thoughtfully, his finger curling beneath his chin. "I suppose you're correct, in that we must investigate the available options."

"We'll think of something." Jake said, his eyes alighting on Taylor proudly, a small crooked grin hitching his lip. "We have to... But, anyway... Taylor, right now, I think we've got bigger problems..." He said, his expression falling.

Taylor turned and followed Jake's gaze back to the others, waiting around the edge of the trees, recovering from Arachnids attack at the frozen lake. "Ow!  _Watch_  it!" Zahra barked, scowling at Michelle, as Craig hovered nearby.

"Do you  _want_  me to stitch you up, or not?!" The blonde demanded, glaring up at Zahra as she continued to fidget and lean away from her.

"Not with a clothes sewing kit!" Zahra snarled, glowering at the needle the blonde held between her fingers.

"Well, if you'd let me use a leaf, I wouldn't need to stitch you at all!" Michelle fumed between tightly clenched teeth, releasing a deep huff od breath as her expression softened slightly. "I thought you were supposed to be tough." She teased, and Zahra snorted at the blonde's attempt to soothe her. Finally, she grunted, relenting as she held up her shirt; revealing the long gash along her ribs, and allowing Michelle to finish her work.

Taylor moved to rejoin the group with Aleister and Jake, only for the pilot to snatch his hand and hold him back. "I uh, just wanted to make sure you were okay... I didn't mean to, ya know..." He said awkwardly, gesturing to where he'd startled Taylor at the cliff edge.

"Huh?  _Oh!_  Oh, it's... It's fine." Taylor said, grinning what he hoped, was a natural looking grin. "I was lost in thought, probably best you snapped me out of it, anyway... To be honest."

"Yeah, I uh... I was wonderin' if you were good to tal-" Jake was cut off by a frustrated growl, and they looked over to the group, to see Michelle had moved her scowl from Zahra to Sean. She sat beside the shivering athlete, who was wrapped in a blanket.

"Stop being stubborn and let me help! This is  _literally,_  what I've been training for!" Michelle fumed, running a hand through her hair in frustration."Now, make sure to cover your-"

Sean jerked away stubbornly, his teeth chattering. "S-stop... I... said I'm... F-f-fine!" He grumbled, avoiding her gaze.

"Sean,  _please."_  Michelle pleaded, giving up on form orders, on favour of showing her true feelings. "You were in that freezing cold water for so long... You could have hypothermia." She said, shaking her head and chuckling lightly. "And here I thought it would be Taylor fell in, if anyone."

"Hey, I resent that prejudiced comment!" Taylor huffed, as he and Jake walked back to the group, the pilot seemingly content to wait to ask Taylor his question.

Taylor's interjection was largely ignored, as Michelle reached for Sean, only for the athlete to stand abruptly, walking away with his blanket. "I can t-take care of m-myself, okay ?" He demanded, and Taylor's expression slowly slipped into a frown, as he walked over to the athlete. "Just n-need to walk around."

"Hey, how 'bout you sit your ass down and let Michelle do what she does best." Taylor growled, lightly shoving Sean's shoulder as he scowled at him. The athlete opened his mouth to respond, but Taylor beat him to it. "I have to deal with everyone fussing over me, you can  _damn_  well suck it up yourself, Hot Shot." He snarked, nudging Sean's shoulder until he was sat before Michelle again, allowing her to work without complaining further; lest Taylor scold him once again. He frowned down at the athlete a moment longer, before shaking his head and looking around the rest of his group.

Taylor noticed the others giving furtive glances towards someone sitting alone far away, at the edge of the falls. He watched as Quinn's long hair billowed in the strong, cold wind, which instantly dried the tears on her cheeks. He scowled and walked over to her, crouching beside her and offering her his hand. "What the hell are you doing over here by your lonesome, exactly?" He asked, and she jumped at his scolding tone, puffing out her cheeks as she frowned down at her lap, and failed to reply. "Quinn, hey, come on..." He sighed, setting his hand on her shoulder and kneeling to draw her into a warm hug. "Come on," he whispered into her hair, encouraging her to her feet as he held her. "Join the rest of us."

"You're sure?" She mumbled into his shoulder, and Taylor sniggered as he stroked her hair from her face.

"No, I'm being passive-aggressive for the fun of it." He said, eliciting a weak giggle from her, before she tool a deep breath and sighed, nodding her head reluctantly. As he led her back to the group, several of them backed away in fear, and she hesitated, her eyes watering.

"Hey, park it here, Ariel." Jake said, offering her his arm, which she gladly accepted, curling into his side and making herself as small as she could. The pilot wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and with a brief glance at Taylor, began talking to her about the many intricacies of flying a plane.

"Hey, what the  _hell_  is wrong with you guys?" Taylor snarked quietly, glancing back at Quinn to make sure she couldn't hear him.

"Oh!" Grace gasped, looking over at Quinn worriedly, her fingertips tapping a rapid beat in her nervousness.

"Whoa..." Raj muttered, his gaze flicking between Quinn and Taylor. "Don't... let her hurt us-" he broke off abruptly however when Taylor whacked his shoulder, glaring at him in frustration.

"We'll do whatever-" Diego began, only for Taylor to silence him with a look, even Varyyn frowning at him in confused disapproval.

"You guys are being  _ridiculous,_  and if you make her believe you're afraid of her; so help me I will..." He said quickly, glancing back to meet Jake's eyes, as the pilot nodded discreetly and kept Quinn occupied. "I will do something I haven't yet thought of; but it is horrible, and it will make you regret your actions,  _immensely."_  He whispered furiously, scowling at them all intently. "I know, what happened is scary, okay? But what you feel? Amplify that by ten, and throw in your friends acting like assholes to you; you'll be somewhere close to what Quinn feels..." He said, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "She just saved our goddamn lives. We were literally, dead in the water if Quinn hadn't saved us. Maybe show a little fucking  _gratitude."_

Raj's face morphed, the large boy sighing as he rubbed his neck guiltily. "Aw, man..." He muttered, looking over at Quinn sadly. "Taylors right. Were being total jerks, guys!" He said, waving over to the redhead enthusiastically. "Hey, Quinn; come sit next to me?" He called.

Quinn looked over from where she and Jake sat, the pilot withdrawing his arm and nudging her to get up. "Thanks, Raj..." She said quietly, her arms folded behind her back as she carefully made her way over and sat beside him. She was quiet for a few moments, before looking up around them with a shy reluctance. "I... don't even remember what happened..." She said quietly, and everyone shifted guiltily, realising she had known that they were talking about her.

"You touched The Island's Heart, and a spirit inhabited your body. I've never seen anything like it..." Varyyn explained, sounding fascinated as he knelt beside her, smiling up at her gently.

"One moment." Aleister interjected suddenly, his expression hardening as he turned to Taylor. "I seem to recall Taylor and Quinn debating her touching the Heart, right before she was possessed." He said, his accusation plain.

Taylor sighed as every pair of eyes turned towards him, focusing him intently. "Taylor? Did you... did you know that was gonna happen?" Grace asked hesitantly, attempting to sound less accusatory than Aleister, and failing miserably.

"Pretty much." He admitted, shrugging when the others all gasped and stared at him with reproach. "Don't look at me like that, I made a call; and I stick to it, judging by your reactions just now. I-"

"We both did." Quinn said quietly, looking up at Taylor and shaking her head fondly. "Taylor, really, stop being so antagonistic." She huffed, though her amusement was barely concealed in her eyes.

 _"Whaaaaaat?"_  Raj gasped, his eyes wide as he looked between Taylor and Quinn in rapid succession.

"It happened once before..." Quinn confessed, wrapping her arms around her knees, as she hugged them to her chest and looked up at the sky. "Right after I woke up from my illness."

"Yep, he went to check on her after you lazy louts went to sleep." Jake added, winking unashamedly when the group glanced over at him. "Abandoned me and everyth-"

"I did  _not_  abandon you, you were plenty well seen to. Besides, you needed to recharge." Taylor snarked, a tiny grin tugging at his lips. He met Jake's gaze, their eyes locking for a moment, before he bit his lip and looked away again; guilt and shame weighing heavy in his heart.

"... Taylor told me what had happened.  _Against,_  Uqzhaal's advice." Quinn continued, tactfully glossing over their awkwardness and drawing the attention back ro herself.

"And you thought it was cool to keep this from  _us?"_  Zahra demanded, holding her side gingerly, as she glared between the two.

"I thought the same thing I always think; it's not my decision to make about who knows what." Taylor said stubbornly, frowning around them all. "Quinn lived her whole life with her body totally out of her control, I wasn't about to keep this from her... But she deserved to get used to the idea herself before choosing when to tell you guys. Honestly, if this hadn't happened; if the Heart hadn't fallen outta my bag, or if I-" he hesitated, his throat constricting briefly, as he spread his palms to them. "Who knows? Maybe there would never have been a  _need_  for you to. Or maybe, she would have told you, by her own choice. In her own way. Everyone, is entitled to that..."

Everyone avoided his gaze as he ran his eyes over them, considering his words at least. The only pair to meet his eye was Jake, who snorted in amusement, and Quinn, who smiled softly. "Typical Boy Scout," Jake huffed, "right on the nose." He snorted, before looking down at his boots thoughtfully.

"How come the pilot knew of this,  _development,_  then?" Aleister sneered, scowling over at Jake, as the pilot raised his amused gaze to meet the pale boys.

"Boy Scout here gets wiped out by the Heart..." He explained, gesturing towards Taylor with only a brief glance at him. "Whatever it gives to Ariel, it seems to suck right outta him... Like, it's latched onto him as it's power source." He said darkly, his gaze narrowing as he stared into the distance behind them. "He came back in a state, and she was curled up asleep in the bed. Didn't take a genius like you to figure out, Malfoy." He said glibly, and Taylor raised a brow, as the pilots gaze refocused, his cocky grin returning. "I threatened to beat it outta him, of course, unless he told me. And it also happens I agreed; Red's got the right to reveal her own secrets, when she's good and ready."

"Yeah, I'll bet you beat it outta him..." Craig sniggered, only for Zahra to swat him in the shoulder.

"Grow up, Craig." She scowled, though her lips twitched with amusement all the same.

"Look, they might be being stupidly overprotective about it but, Jake and Taylor don't mean to be so antagonistic..." Quinn said, frowning between them both, as they averted their eyes from everyone. "Honestly?" She sighed, resting her chin on her knees as she peered up at everyone. "We just... didn't understand it... And I... I didn't want to scare you." She admitted quietly, lowering her gaze as she fiddled with the hem of her blouse. "But... when Arachnid had us surrounded, I had a choice. To either keep my secret, or use it to try and save you." She said, looking up with eyes which glittered with tears. "And that's no choice at all." She whispered, hiccupping a small sob as Raj pulled her against his side.

"Varyyn, what's happening to her?" Diego asked, frowning worriedly as he walked over to the young Vaanti king and placed his hand on her arm. "What did the Heart  _do_  to her?"

"I do not know." Varyyn said regretfully, shaking his head and resting his own hand over Diego's. "The Heart is the most powerful artifact in Vaanti legend. It represents the very spirit of Vaanu..." He explained, and Taylor scowled at the brief brush of pain which skittered through his head. "Perhaps..." Varyyn said thoughtfully, his expression clearing as an idea took root. "Perhaps it even...  _contains_  some of that spirit." He hummed, and Taylors eyes narrowed, darting to the Vaanti quickly, as a sharp spear of pain washed through his head; immediately soothed by a strangely uncomforting rightness.

"Time out." Sean demanded, his shaking having finished considerably under Michelle's dutiful care. "You're telling us, that  _the Island_  is possessing Quinn?"

"It may be..." Varyyn conceded thoughtfully, squinting at Quinn in consideration. "When it restored her life, that was an  _incredible_  transfer of energy..." He explained, his eyes narrowing as he shifted them towards Taylor.  _The question is, what part do you play_? He thought, as Taylor pointedly scratched at his fingernail, scuffing some invisible mud from it.

"But like..." Craig hedged, shifting uncomfortably, and drawing even Taylors gaze. "She's only like that when she touches the orb thing, right?" He asked, glancing from Quinn to Zahra and finally to Taylor, who cleared his throat and bit his lip.

"Well, we're not entirely sure, Craig..." He said, trying to avoid lying without actually confessing the truth, and sighing when he realised the naivety of his attempt. "But, my guess is no." He hedged, wincing as Craig's face fell.

"Wait,  _what?"_  The jock asked, his disappointment and concern palpable around them all.

"Remember the Yeti?" Taylor sighed, scrubbing his hand through his hair, before propping both hands on his hips. "How Quinn almost controlled it?"

"That's right!" Grace agreed, stepping closer in thoughtful admiration of his honesty. "I think a lot of this spirit is already inside her..."

"It is true that the orb does seem to act like a trigger, though." Varyyn announced loudly, drawing them back to the main topic, as he frowned and shook his head. "But I fear that each tine she touches it, more of Vaanu's spirit joins hers. Next time, or the time after that, there could be no coming back." He warned, his eyes firmly trained on Taylor _. For you especially_. The Vaanti added silently, his eyes narrowing suspiciously, when Taylor winced guiltily in response.

 _Shut up._  He thought back, glancing nervously around the group, to find Jake watching him intently, his eyes flicking to Varyyn knowingly.  _We'll talk about it later._  He added silently. before clearing his throat and looking towards the rest of his friends, where Quinn was frowning sullenly at the ground. "Quinn? Are you okay?" He asked, scolding himself for the stupid question. "I know... it's a lot to digest-"

"It's just... My  _whole_  life, I carried something inside my body. Something taking me over. Something, that would eventually  _erase_  me... " She sighed, shaking her head disparagingly. "And, I thought I'd finally gotten it out, that I was  _finally_  free to be  _me..._  But I'm not free. I just replaced it with something else; and although I knew it was there, I'd thought maybe... maybe it was different. Maybe it was something, I could control, this time..."

A pained silence fell over the group for a time, each of them lost in their own concerns and fears. After another long moment, Craig forced a smile and patted Quinn on the back supportively. "But hey, your disease didn't give you powers to fly and stop bullets." He said, winking at her slyly.  _"Now_  look at you!"

 _"Dude."_  Zahra scolded, scowling over at the jock. "Not the time for jokes-"

"No, it's okay." Quinn giggled, smiling around them all gratefully. "Craig's right... I need to look on the bright side of this. I've always been helpless, always needed others to look out for me; since the day I was born..." She said thoughtfully, looking up at the sky and drawing in a deep breath. "But, if what happened to me; means I can help you guys, that I can take care of others for once... Then I'm gonna make the most of it." She said confidently, beaming a wide grin around them all.

"Hell yeah," Jake said, grinning back lopsidedly. "Just so long as you take it easy on the, ya know, full on possession thing..." He added, looking pointedly at Taylor, who flushed guiltily.

"Hey, let's not worry about it for now... This is all just hypothetical, anyway." He said, shifting awkwardly, as he shrugged his shoulders. "Right now, we have no reason to believe Quinn will need to touch the Heart again, so the... uh, Island? Might just remain... dormant. Mostly." He said, trailing off weakly, avoiding everyone's knowing gaze as his cheeks suffused with heat.

"So..." Michelle said brightly, smiling ad she wrapped Quinn in a hug. "I guess this means we shouldn't use the Heart to heal our wounded." She sniggered, as Taylor sighed in relief of her teasing tone.

"Yeah, that... seems like a dangerous idea." Taylor conceded, huffing a light chuckle.

"Yeah, I figured." Michelle snarked, rolling her eyes as she stood up, her hands on her hips as she frowned thoughtfully. "In that case, we need to find medical supplies-"

"Michelle," Sean growled in frustration, cutting her off. "I said I'm fine-"

"Will you  _shut up?"_  Michelle demanded, scowling as Sean balked beneath her fury. "You are  _not_  fine. Quinn is  _not_  fine. Taylor is  _never_  fine!"

 _"Hey!"_  Taylor protested, before wisely silencing himself, as Michelle rounded her furious glare at him.

"We're almost out of leaves, and  _some_  people, refuse to use them anyway..." She continued to rant, glaring over at Zahra, who stared back at her unabashedly.

"Hey, Maybelline, relax." Jake said, pushing to his feet. "Everyone take a breather, think of kittens and puppies, and whatever else you Crazy Kids use for chill time." He said, walking over to Taylor, who reluctantly raised his gaze to the pilots.  _"You."_  Jake said, jabbing a finger into Taylors chest. "You're with me." He said, slipping his hand into Taylors and tugging him after him toward the trees.

"Oh yeah, Jake and Taylor, sittin-" Craig began to sing teasingly, only for Estela to firmly swat his ear and silence him with a glare, before looking after them knowingly.

Taylor dragged his feet, biting his lip as he savoured the warmth of Jake's hand in his own, despite the sinking sensation in his stomach. Jake led them far enough from the group, that they had a vague parody of privacy.  _Far enough_ , Taylor thought, his heart skipping a beat nervously.  _That we won't be overheard, even if we're shouting_...

When Jake decided they'd walked far enough, he stopped, his shoulders tensed as he faced forward; though his hand remained tightly clasped around Taylors. Awkward tension hung around them, and Taylor fidgeted guiltily, as it festered and grew; until finally, he couldn't take it anymore. "So, I uh..." He coughed, drawing his hand free of Jake's reluctantly, to run it through his hair. "I don't... I mean, I..." He stumbled, words failing him as he lowered his eyes to his feet, his eyes burning with frustration.

"Quit panicking." Jake sighed, turning toward him at last, to fix him with a tired, lopsided grin. "Ya sound like a real Boy Scout, one who just got caught swearin', or something as dumb..." He snorted, running a hand through his hair as Taylor bit his lip and kicked at the floor. "So...  _What's_  going on in that head of yours?" He asked with a sigh, as Taylor glanced up sheepishly.

"I..." He hedged, pausing briefly, before walking away to lean against a nearby tree. "I can't really... put it into words." He dodged awkwardly, toying with the hem of his shirt nervously. "I never meant to-" he said, breaking off to bite his lip uncertainly.

"Taylor..." Jake frowned, shaking his head in disbelief. "Why the hell are you all bent outta shape? You're literally, the most confident, headstrong, stubborn,  _infuriatingly_  stubborn-"

"Okay, okay, let's not get focused on the stubborn here..." Taylor snorted, despite his churning emotions. "I'm not the only one after all!" He sniggered, cocking his brow at Jake, before the expression softened, fading entirely as he looked away. "I don't know how to explain it..." He murmured, tapping his fingernails against the tree trunk in agitation.

Jake watched him for a moment, before cautiously approaching, and capturing his hand, ceasing its frantic movements. He held Taylors hand between both of his own, waiting for Taylor to reluctantly meet his gaze, before speaking. "You're...  _jealous."_  He said slowly, knowing the answer, but still disbelieving of it. Taylor bit the inside of his cheek and inhaled deeply through his nose, his eyes shifting to look just over Jake's shoulder. The pilots eyes searched his own, his brow creasing further at the guilt and shame which he found blazing within them. "Of...  _Mike..?"_  He pressed, squeezing Taylors hand in encouragement.

"I-" Taylor began, the denial already forming on his lips, until his eyes met Jake's. Instead, he nodded mutely, his expression twisting with guilt, shame, and a flicker of relief at finally admitting it.

"Taylor, you  _do_  realise that's  _insane,_  right?" The pilot asked, shaking his head in confusion. Taylor groaned and tipped his head back against the tree, blinking up at the branches in frustration. "I mean, Buccaneer Barbie, I could understand... but..."

"I  _know,"_  he muttered, his fingers curling within Jake's hands. "I  _know_  that it is, I keep  _telling_  myself that, it's just... I can't..." He huffed, sucking in a deep breath as he lowered his stinging eyes to Jake's. "I can't...  _stop."_  He said lamely, swallowing thickly at the loaded confession.

Jake blinked, his eyes widening in disbelief. He choked out a laugh, his eyes sparking the faintest hint of amusement, despite his shock. "Damn... that bastard would  _love_  this..." He finally snorted, and Taylor felt a swirl of both relief and irritation at the pilots amusement, his resentment flaring at the obvious reference. "What brought all this on?" Jake asked, squeezing Taylors hand reassuringly.

"... It was when we first found Lundgren, waiting in the snow..." Taylor admitted grumpily, frowning at the pilots thoughtful snort, as he examined Taylors fingers between his hands. "I was,  _okay_  'til-"

"You hesitated." Jake said knowingly, his eyes flicking up to meet Taylors briefly, before returning to the intricate study of his fingers. "C'mon, Boy Scout, if we're doin' this, might as well do it right." The pilot snorted, tracing his fingertip thoughtfully over Taylors knuckles. "I ain't into repeat displays of sappy affection, so you're only getting this whole...  _thing..._  once." He snarked, eliciting a small flame of amusement in Taylors gut, soothing the bitter sting of his jealousy slightly, enough at least that he could breathe easier.

"It's stupid." He muttered petulantly, his free hand rising to play with the pilots dog tags absently.

"Stop dragging this shit out, Boy Scout." Jake groaned, sighing as he scowled up at him. "Spit it out, already." He snarked, nudging him in the shoulder.

"I mean it though, it's stupid." Taylor warned, sighing in resignation. "It was at The Celestial. That night we first... I mean, when you first told me everything; but it wasn't really  _bad!_  I just..." He babbled, his fingers jangling the pilots dog tags in agitation.

"What the hell-?" Jake frowned, his gaze turning distant as he thought back to the first night they'd shared together.

"You said being assigned to the same deployment was the best day of your life... That flying was the -" Taylor pushed out, his cheeks flaming with embarrassment as he admitted to the tiny moment of jealousy he'd felt.

" _One of._.. I said it was  _one of_  the few times I felt really happy." Jake groaned, his head falling on Taylor's shoulder as he shook with silent laughter. "I  _swear_  Taylor, you're gonna be the death of me. You're  _ridiculous,_  literally." He snorted, drawing back to take a deep breath and look at Taylor's flaming face with fond amusement. "You  _really_  thought I was comparing sex to-"

 _"No!"_  Taylor fumed, swatting the pilots shoulder as he sniggered at him, his face burning in embarrassment. "I may have just... in the heat of the moment,  _very briefly,_  been offended... But it didn't last. I was okay after that, I  _got_  it... It wasn't until we met up with Lundgren that it... Well, it  _changed."_

"When you got your head on backwards?" Jake guessed, his amusement fading as realization bloomed.  _"That's_  what that was about..?" He asked, frowning slightly as he recalled the encounter.

"You were just so..." Taylor hedged, his heart clenching painfully at the memory.  _"Unreachable._  And then... It wasn't even really, anything  _specific..._  It was just the way you said it." He said quietly, his eyes blistering with tears of frustration as he sniffed and looked away. "It was everything, all at once. All in those three words..." He said, his throat aching from the effort to keep his emotions in check.

"What-"

"' _You killed him_.'" Taylor sighed, looking vacantly through the trees to their right, as Jake tensed. "And I  _know..._  It shouldn't have affected me like it did, but..." He said, swallowing heavily, and closing his eyes briefly, in an effort to dull their constant stinging. "You were so... utterly broken. I couldn't convince myself it was brotherly. The way you... felt." He trailed off, a shuddering breath escaping him slowly. He felt a hollowness in his stomach, branching out into his chest and festering with his irrational feelings.

Jake remained silent, frowning thoughtfully at where his fingers traced Taylors. When Taylor finally sighed, and turned to look at the pilot, about to apologize; he was surprised to find the pilot raise his eyes to meet his, a small upward tilt to his lips. "You really are somethin' else..." The pilot huffed, sounding both amused and annoyed. "On the one hand, I don't think I ever had someone care enough about me, to think such stupid shit." He sniggered, as Taylor watched him warily. "Course, on the other, you're  _actually_  thinking this shit." He sighed, shaking his head in frustration. He frowned a moment, his tongue clicking thoughtfully against his cheek, before he pulled Taylor's hostage hand to his chest; laying it flat and holding it in place, as he cleared his throat roughly. "You  _ever_  tell anyone I did any of this cheesy rom-com shit, and I will  _absolutely_  deny it... In fact, if you ever mention, or hell, even  _think_  about it again, I'm gonna ride your ass from dusk 'til dawn.." He warned gruffly, rolling his eyes before his expression turned serious, his cerulean eyes crystal clear with intent.

"In the Navy, we learned how to pick up on telltale signs of deceit. It's a shitty course, but it looks good on your file." He said quietly, squeezing Taylors hand briefly, as he frowned back at the pilot in confusion. "You feel that? Steady beat, right?" He asked pressing Taylors hand harder to his chest, his heart beating beneath it in steady consistency. Taylor nodded, swallowing as his brow furrowed, lost in Jake's intense gaze. "Mike, was my best friend. My bunkmate. My  _brother,_  in every way but blood... And, I will  _always_  miss him. I'll  _always_  feel guilty, for what went down, and I will  _always_  love and remember him..." He said, as Taylor felt a sharp jab of jealousy flare in him. "But, that's  _nothin'..._  compared to how I feel about  _you."_

Taylors entire body shivered, his heart faltering in shock, while Jake's continued to beat at its steady pace. His eyes widened, his mouth growing dry, as Jake snorted in amusement. "You look like somethin' outta a cartoon." He said softly, shaking his head before continuing. "Mike meant a lot to me,  _once._  But you mean everything to me,  _now._  I  _really,_  do not wanna have to  _ever,_  do  _anything_  so sickeningly sappy as this again. So  _please,_  understand that Mike is not some sorta threat to you..."

"Jake..." Taylor sighed, his fingers curling, nails scratching lightly over Jake's chest. His heart throbbed, desperately to accept the pilots promise, but the tiny voice in the darkness niggled at him.  _What if..._  "I... Jake, he was such a huge part of your life. What if..." He wondered, his own heartbeat drowning out all other sound, as it raced in his ears. "What if, I can never-?"

"Taylor, shut up." Jake groaned, rolling his eyes as he shook his head. "I get that sometimes things feel like there's more to 'em, but this  _ain't_  one of those times. I can promise ya that, Taylor... I-" Jake broke off suddenly, his gaze filled with such a rush of affection, that Taylor could almost hear the words he'd choked back. His heart stuttered, and he bit his lip as his emotions warred in his heart.

"I..." He began, only to lower his gaze with a sigh, the words fleeing him as they had the pilot; his conflicting emotions too heavy to push past yet. They stood in silence for a minute which felt like an hour, before Taylor felt Jake's hands leave his.

Before he could even consider a single foolish thought about the action, Jake's fingers grazed his cheeks, raising his head determinedly to meet the pilots gaze. "Taylor,  _understand..."_  Jake murmured, staring another moment in indecision, before he took a deep breath, and leaned in to slowly pressed his lips against Taylors.

Taylors fingers smoothed against the pilots chest, his breath hitching, as every thought in his head disappeared. Jake's kiss was tentative, cautious in a way he had never been before, as if giving Taylor the chance to break free if he truly wished. The pilots kiss caressed his lips, and soothed his nerves, the gentle pressure increasing when Taylors free hand rose hesitantly to the pilots shoulder. Jake crowded closer to Taylor, pressing him back against the tree as he tried to convey with his body, what his voice could not yet with words. The pilots kiss turned urgent, as Taylors fingers tightened in his jacket, his heart swelling with his own affection and devotion, melting away his bitterness; at least temporarily.

When Jake finally released him, his thumb stroking Taylors cheek softly, they were both panting heavily. Taylor bit his swollen lip, as he peeked up at Jake from beneath his lashes, and Jake sighed as he forced himself to step back. "I ain't exactly spent a lot of time caring about others, Boy Scout... All the years I ran, I never once expected to find, what I found with you; and I didn't wanna either. You broke through that, and blew everythin' to hell in the process..." Jake said, shaking his head as he drew his hands free of Taylors cheeks, and offered him one to hold. "You're the  _one person_  I couldn't push away, or run away from... And not even  _Mike_  could say that." He added quietly, as Taylor stared down at his hand his heart hammering from the confession.

 _Words are words; Rourke spits out words of poison with every breath..._  He thought, his affection for the pilot rising, bubbling in his throat and pushing away his bitterness, jealousy and frustration.  _But emotion like that... Can't be forged_. He thought determinedly, his eyes watering in an absurd rush of emotion that he couldn't name. "I'm sorry..." He muttered, scrubbing his arm over his eyes as he hiccupped with laughter. "I think that was, like, the sappiest speech I ever heard..." He said, chuckling when Jake's shoulders slumped in relief, as his hand gripped the pilots tightly. "I think you just gave me a cavity..." He huffed, shaking his head as Jake pulled him away from the tree.

"Hey, shut up, okay; remember the rules." Jake snarked, his cheeks dusting pink as he grinned at Taylor in blatant relief.

"I'm recalling...  _Something_  about my ass, and dusk 'til dawn... Little fuzzy on the details though." He teased, as Jake snorted. For a moment they stood in silence, their gazes locked in relief and amusement, until Jake sighed and gestured back toward where they'd left their friends.

"We should probably check on the Brady Bunch..." He said, coughing as he began to lead Taylor back through the trees. "They're probably lost without my leadership skills to guide 'em..." He sniggered, as Taylor rolled his eyes affectionately. He smiled to himself, content to let the pilot drag him along in his wake, as he examined his lingering emotional baggage.

 _He might not be the most emotionally functional himself, but he's trying... and that alone says a lot.._. Taylor thought fondly, watching Jake as he weaved them between trees and continued to brag about his own awesomeness, a smile stealing onto his face as his heart lightened. _I don't know what Mike shared with Jake in the past.._. He thought seriously, his smile fading only minimally, before flaring to life once more. _I might never know... And, that's okay. Because that was the past; and we live in the now_. He continued, chuckling as he remembered their impromptu New Years party, and the resolution he'd made after being inspired by Craig.  _Hold on to what matters._  He thought, as he pushed as much of his remaining negative emotions into a small, dark corner of his mind, and sealing it away as best he could. He looked down at his hand in Jake's, and sighed in deep contentment, his heart flooding with warmth; as he swore to himself that he would live in the now, and leave Mike in the past. He pretended he didn't notice the tiny voice in the darkest part of his heart, as it sniggered knowingly.

He felt his cheeks heat faintly, as they returned to the group, where Craig sniggered in childish amusement, and he received several looks; both concerned, and accusatory. "Uh..." He coughed, looking over at Jake, who sniggered and winked at him unhelpfully. "So, uh... Someone said something about a scavenger hunt?" He asked awkwardly, as their friends gave a collective giggle and sigh.

"Quinn called it," Sean said with a sigh, shaking his head in defeat. "Taylor caved first." He snorted, as Quinn grinned and giggled triumphantly.

"Okay, you guys are all terrible,  _terrible_  people." Taylor huffed, freeing his hand from Jake's so he could fold his arms over his chest, as his friends laughed at him. "I am officially disowning you all as friends."

"Taylor, you really do make it too easy..." Quinn laughed, hopping to her feet and wrapping her arms around him. "Are you okay, now?" She whispered in his ear, squeezing him gently before drawing back. He glanced at Jake, who raised a pointed brow and smirked, before looking down at Quinn and grinning lopsidedly.

"I'm... better," he admitted quietly, ruffling her hair fondly and laughing at her scowl. "It's a working progress, but right now? Yeah, I'm okay." He said, smiling as he nudged her playfully.

"Okay, anyone who's comin', lets get on with this supply run." Jake said, shuffling things around in his pack, before slinging it on his back. "We're gonna lose daylight fast."

"You're all  _fools!"_  Aleister exclaimed, as Jake, Estela, Taylor and Michelle grouped together and made a last check of their things. "We're in the middle of an ice age, miles away from the Lodge... Where do you suppose to find supplies, medical or otherwise?" He demanded, his eyes wide as they darted between the four of them.

"I saw tire tracks nearby." Estela said, jerking her head towards an area of trees close by the waterfall. "I'd bet it's from Arachnid's vehicles, on their way to ambush us at the lake." She explained, exchanging a brief bod with Jake. "Most of them fell in the ice, so the trucks might still be there. They'd gave first aid kits inside."

"Let's get going then." Taylor said, gesturing for the others to lead the way. He looked over at Varyyn in surprise, as the Elyyshar stood and approached him.

"I should like to help." He said, glancing around the others, before purposefully returning his eyes to Taylor; who scowled at his obviousness and pointedly averted his gaze.

"Let's do this." Jake said, tipping his head to Varyyn in acknowledgment, before moving to the lead with Estela.

"Okay, let's go." Michelle agreed, looping her arm through Taylors as Jake paused and glanced back at her.

"You sure you're up for this, Maybelline?" He asked hesitantly, and Taylor sniggered as he anticipated Michelle's response.

"Yes." She snapped, her eyes narrowing as she glared at the pilot. "In fact, I'm the only one who knows what we need, so it looks like  _you're_  the dead weight this time, you pompous ass."

Jake's eyes slowly widened during her tirade, and he looked to Taylor for help, only to find him laughing silently. "... Point taken." He said finally, swallowing thickly as he turned to continue walking in silence.

"Just so you know," Taylor murmured to Michelle, leaning close to her ear as he grinned. "His ass is anything  _but_  pompous..." He sniggered, as she swatted his arm and fell into step beside him. He squeezed her hand where it rested on his arm, as they made their way into the dense northern forests, with Varyyn bringing up the rear behind them.

Before long they were forced to separate, having to brace themselves against strong winds and snow, as they trudged deeper into the forest. Dead trees stretched their bony, knotted branches high above them, clawing at the sky like monsters from a grave. "Jake, may I ask you a question?" Varyyn asked suddenly, trotting easily past Michelle and Taylor, who stumbled in surprise at the Vaanti kings request. "You were one of the enemies before, no? An Arachnid?"

Jake looked down at his feet as he walked, and Taylor felt his heart ache, at the tense set of his shoulders. "... Yeah." He finally replied, though his reluctance was clear in his tone. "The Arachnid Unit... My call sign was 'Wolf,' as in; a wolf spider." He hesitantly explained, his face morphing into a frown. "Everybody was a different spider... Lundgren's codename is 'Tarantula.'"

"I see." Varyyn hummed thoughtfully, and Taylor couldn't suppress the rising sense of foreboding in his gut, as the Vaanti pressed on. "You were warriors without a tribe. You fought only for yourselves-"

"Hey, it wasn't like that then!" Jake denied, turning to face Varyyn with a furious snarl curled across his lips. "We used to  _help_  people..." He said, before blinking suddenly, the anger slipping from his face quickly as he glanced over at Taylor. "At least... that's what I told myself we were doing." He said, and Taylor was about to reassure the pilot, when he heard a sniff from beside him. He turned to see Michelle, fighting back her tears.

"Michelle, you're crying-!" He gasped, reaching to comfort her, only for her to turn away angrily.

"No, I'm  _not!"_  She denied, wiping beneath her eyes as she scowled into the distance. She took several deep breaths to steady herself, before turning back to him with a bright and entirely false smile. "See?" She said, flashing her teeth in a wide grin.

Taylor eyed her carefully, and felt his heart ache at the blondes obvious pain. "... It's Sean, isn't it?" He asked quietly, and Michelle's smile disappeared instantly.

The blonde remained silent a moment longer, before meeting his eyes brokenly. "... We almost lost him back there. If Jake hadn't got to him in time, he'd be d-"

"But he's  _not."_  Taylor assured quickly, cutting off her rising hysteria. "He's tough, and just as stubborn as the rest of us... He'll pull through. Especially when our resident Pre-Med hot shot is on the case." He said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and drawing her into his side.

"It's just..." Michelle sighed, wiping her eyes as fresh tears escaped them. "God... He's still  _important_  to me, Taylor. We dated for two years, and that... That doesn't just disappear when it's... over." She said, forcing the words past her lips despite her obvious reluctance. "Even though we're not together, I'll always care about him..." She sighed, folding her arms over her chest. "But when he looks at me now, all I see is hate and disgust."

"Then you haven't been looking right, because I have seen plenty of other ways he's looked at you recently..." Taylor snorted, though his attempt to cheer the blonde fell flat. He sobered considerably, peering down at her shaken expression worriedly.

"I cant stand it, Taylor..." She said, shaking her despondently. "If he'd  _died,_  thinking that... thinking that I-" she choked, her hand covering her mouth as Taylor stopped and pulled her into a full hug, remembering the first vision he'd seen; back at Rourke's museum, when he found the first idol. Michelle's spiteful sorority sisters lying to Sean, telling him she cheated just to ruin her.

He glanced toward Jake, considering his own recent issues, and sighed as he shook his head. "Michelle, I'm  _hardly_  one to talk... But you should really tell him the truth. Tell him about those girls, about how they lied... Tell him you never cheated." He said, looking down at her as she looked up at him sadly. "Trust me, it's... Its a lot worse, when you try to pretend you're okay, and you're not. You need to let him know the truth, Michelle... For his sake; as well as yours."

"But... How..." She stammered, looking away as she shook her head in embarrassment. "I can't do it, Taylor... It's just too  _humiliating."_  She said, wiping her eyes on her rolled up sleeves. "If I were to tell him that, it would mean I didn't have a single true friend in the world..."

"Er, excuse me, Miss Pre-Med," Taylor said, faking a scowl as he squeezed her shoulder playfully. "What the hell do you think  _we_  are?" He demanded, as she looked back at him in surprise.  _"We're_  your true friends, Michelle." Michelle studied him in stunned silence for a moment, her eyes glistening with tears, before she sniffed and nodded.

"Okay..." She said quietly, taking a deep, cleansing breath. "Yes. I'll tell him." She agreed firmly, reaching up to squeeze Taylors hand gratefully, as they turned and quickly caught up to the others.

"Dammit." They heard Estela curse as they approached, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "Too much fresh snowfall this far out... We lost the tire tracks." She sighed, kicking at the snow angrily.

"We really need to find those vehicles, and get those kits." Taylor reminded them, looking at Jake, as he squinted through the snow.

"Judging by the terrain," the pilot said slowly, scratching his stubble thoughtfully. "The best tactical move for Arachnid, would've been the crest over that way."

Varyyn hunkered down and surveyed the area, shaking his head as he narrowed his eyes. "I disagree." He said, looking over at the pilot determinedly. "The low branches  _this way_  are broken. Something large passed through."

"You're  _both_  wrong." Estela demanded, scowling between them both as she pointed in a third direction. "Smell the gas? It's gotta be coming from  _this_  way."

"Or," Michelle said loudly, pointedly smirking at them all. "It's  _literally,_  right there." She said, as Taylor bit his lip to keep from laughing, as she pointed to where a military humvee rested nearby, just visible through the trees.

"Oh  _my,"_  Taylor snickered, his amusement bubbling as he watched Jake, Estela and Varyyn all suddenly flush in embarrassment. "What's this? Hardened survivors,  _nil..."_  He began, before trailing off into a fit of giggles.

"Hrm, uh... Good work." Estela said awkwardly, tipping her head to Michelle, before the five of them approached the humvee cautiously.

"Looks empty." Jake said, sneaking up beside it and peering through a window carefully. "No sign of 'em anywhere. We're clear." He said, glancing at Taylor as he slipped past him and opened a door quietly.

"Estela and I will keep watch outside, while you search the vehicle." Varyyn offered, blending himself into the scenery almost instantly.

"Don't take too long." Estela warned, as she pulled her spear from its holster. "Any survivors might head back this way." She said, before disappearing herself.

Without further ado, Taylor, Jake and Michelle climbed inside the humvee. The interior was spacious, and filled with high tech equipment, which Taylor was certain Zahra would've loved to get her hands on. "Jackpot." Jake said, grinning broadly as he winked at Taylor.

"Over here!" Michelle cried excitedly, grabbing things from a medical cabinet and shoving them I to her bag. "A first aid kit! And some heat blankets!"

"Check  _this_  out..." Taylor said, gesturing to a stack of survival gear on the opposite side of the humvee. "They've got a bunch of emergency shelter tents too. These could keep us safe in the cold."

"Nice find." Jake praised, clapping him on the shoulder with a fond chuckle. "Let's see if we can drive this thing back to our camp..." He suggested, and Taylor grinned, as he knocked him aside quickly and clambered up toward the drivers seat. He sniggered as he heard Jake sigh, but his amusement faded as he turned on the vehicle, a familiar tickle at the back of his mind.

Taylor stared blankly, as a large central computer display, mounted within the console sprang to life. "Huh..." He hummed, shaking his head as he focused his gaze onto the console, allowing past and present to overlap in his mind. He tilted his head, slowly reaching up to tao through a couple screens as he saw himself do in a previous life.

"What are you doing?" Michelle demanded, startling him from his memories as she frowned at him. "Let's get moving."

"I just..." Taylor said, swallowing as he glanced at Jake, who narrowed his eyes and reached forward to squeeze his shoulder in understanding. "I wanna see... one thing..." He said, as the console listed a number of files and actions. He felt his heart lurch as he ran his eyes over one of the options, and he stretched a trembling finger to it. As soon as he selected the  **'anon_transmission'**  a sound file began to play from the humvee's speakers. It was distorted, impossible to understand, and yet, Taylor could feel every word reverberate in his clenching heart.

"Is that a...  _voice?"_  Michelle asked, leaning closer to a speaker in an attempt to make out the garbled message, not noticing Taylors pale and stiff composure.

"What's it saying..?" Jake asked, frowning as he stared at the console intently.

Taylor stared ahead, his gaze blank as he tried to search his memories for any details about the message, but ultimately sighed, as he came up empty handed. He glanced at Jake and Michelle, still intently trying to male out the message, and ge looked down at the console tiredly. "I'll turn it up." He said despondently.

Jake noticed his tone, and glanced over curiously, but his attention immediately turned back to the message; when Taylor increased the volume. Barely, beneath all the crashing waves of static, they were able to make out a voice. Though the garbled voice was indistinguishable by itself, it spoke in English, its message already repeating inside Taylors head; as he wept silent tears of frustration.

" _You want Jake McKenzie? Come and get him_." The voice said, as Jake tensed, and Taylor's fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly. " _June first, fifteen degrees, eleven minutes, seventeen seconds North, seventy three degrees, twenty minutes, sixteen seconds West._ "

Taylor felt his heart hammering, as the transmission repeated on loop, until finally; he could stand it no longer, and he slammed his hand onto the control panel, silencing the traitorous voice. "Fifteen degrees North, seventy three degrees West?" Michelle repeated with a gasp, her wide eyes staring up at Jake as he looked down at the floor. "That's gotta be -"

"Yeah." Jake growled, his expression slowly morphing into a furious scowl. "It's  _here."_

"Someone..." Taylor said, swallowing thickly as he tried to process the hurtful thought in his head. "Someone  _gave_  your location to Lundgren."

"And they  _knew_  what day I was bringing you here." Jake said, scowling as he pushed away from the chair Taylor sat in, and stepped back, lashing out at whatever he found within striking distance in the back of the humvee.  _"Dammit!"_  He cursed, kicking at the humvee shelving. Taylor bit his lip, desperately wanting to comfort the pilot, but sensing the man needed to vent. "Lundgren was waiting here for me the whole damn time!" He snarled, kicking the back door hard. "Someone ratted me out!" He growled, his hands rising to his hair as he both brushed it from his face, and tugged harshly on the long strands. "When I find out who-"

 _"Jake!"_  Taylor cried, finally unable to take the mans ire anymore. He scrabbled free of the drivers seat, and wrapped his arms around the pilot, pulling the other mans back to his chest as the pilot panted heavily. "I am so,  _so_  sorry... I wish you'd never taken the job to bring us here." He said, his heart hitching painfully at the words. He buried his face in the side of jakes throat, pressing a firm kiss to the skin before quickly drawing away. "You'd never be in this position if you hadn't... You'd be safe. I'm sorry-"

"I'm not." Jake said, his hand rising to grip Taylors firmly. "I ain't gonna pretend I ain't  _pissed_  about this, 'cause dammit, this shit  _stinks..."_  The pilot fumed, half turning in Taylors embrace to meet his eyes with a fierce glare. "But I wouldn't trade comin' here for shit... I wouldn't trade meeting you." Taylor felt his stomach flip at the words, his heart climbing up his throat as he bit his lip and stifled a gasp at the pilots intense. "Unless it was to keep you outta this mess, maybe..." Jake finally conceded, and Taylor wrapped his arms tighter around the pilots torso as he choked out a half hysterical giggle.

"Nope." He said, his p popping in exactly the way which irritated himself, but he was too emotionally overwhelmed to care. "No take backs. You can't say that and then add conditions." He said, shaking his head as his heart swelled and his eyes stung. "No, no and  _no._  Sorry, not happening." He rasped, leaning over the pilots shoulder to seal their mouths together in an impassioned kiss. They jerked apart however, when a pebble suddenly plinked off the rear windshield, quickly followed by another. "Crap." Taylor gasped, releasing Jake and darting back to the drivers seat. "That's Estela and Varyyn." He muttered knowingly, as he searched through the many buttons, dials and switches. "They're  _warning_  us."

 _"Look!"_  Michelle gasped, pointing out the snow dusted windows. "Someone's coming!" She whispered furiously, as they all ducked down in the cab, where they could barely make out four Arachnid soldiers approaching.

" **Get a move on. They went this way**." Ordered a soldier from the front, pausing to hurry his troops along.

" ** _Going as fast as we can, sir_.** " Replied a soldier in the rear, as they propped another one up, and helped them limp along slowly.

" **Forget Two Eight Seventy**." The first soldier ordered, his command almost a snarl in their impatience. " **Leave him. We have to move! The vehicle's up ahead.** "

"Damn." Jake murmured lowly, his eyes narrowing hatefully, as he watched the soldiers argue as they approached. "Some of these bastards survived the lake."

"And, they're headed this way!" Michelle whispered furiously, gesturing sharply at them. "What do we  _do?!"_  She demanded, her eyes darting between them abd the soldiers rapidly.

Taylor glanced down at his feet, and felt his heart crash against his chest, at the idea which formed. "Aw, screw it." He said, sinking lower in the drivers seat as he stomped on the gas pedal. The humvee roared to life, and the massive vehicle rocketed forwards, straight at the troops. He gasped, as he felt four hard thumps, before seeing their bodies windmill through the air, as they careened off the hood. The truck slammed to a halt against a tree, and Taylor stared blankly forward, his heart in his throat as he clung to the drivers wheel. Moments later he was scrambling for the door as fast as he could, climbing out to see Estela and Varyyn running toward him, shock on their faces. In the humvee's wake, four soldiers laid in the snow; motionless.

 _"Wow."_  Estela whistled lowly, eyeing Taylor with a sense of pride which he found utterly disconcerting. "Well done."

"Holy crap..." Jake muttered, his eyes wide as he surveyed the damage caused by the humvee, before turning to Taylor, the pilots gaze filled with awe. "You just saved our asses."

"That..." Michelle choked, shaking her head in disbelief. "Went better than expected." She sighed, running a hand through her long blonde hair. "Come on, lets get this gear back to the others." As the others gathered up the tents and anything else salvageable from the humvee, Taylor stared at the fallen soldiers. He felt his heart constrict and swell alternately, confliction rife within.

"Bot Scout..?" Jake called, having peered back out of the truck. "You comin' or wha-" he began, only to finally notice the blank expression on Taylors face. "Aw, hell." He sighed, hopping out of the humvee and approaching Taylor cautiously. "You uh, you okay..? Taylor?"

"...I-" Taylor swallowed heavily, looking back at the motionless soldiers again. "I killed..." He choked, his brow furrowing as he shifted his weight guiltily. "I  _killed."_  He breathed, raising his hand to scrub across his mouth, as if to wipe away the awful taste within.

"Hey, look at me..." Jake said, slowly stepping closer, as Taylor obeyed without thought. "They would  _not_  have hesitated, to kill all of us." Jake explained quietly, gesturing at the humvee, where the others were leaning out to watch them worriedly. "If you hadn't done  _that,_  we'd all be dead; and the others would be next."

"But... _I_  didn't hesitate." Taylor murmured, looking down at his hands briefly, before flicking his tormented gaze up to Jake's once more. "Does that mean-"

 _"No."_  Jake said firmly, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him lightly. "You are  _nothing_  like them, okay? You hearin' me, Boy Scout?" He demanded, his gaze hard and clinical as he tried to will Taylor to understand and believe him. "Those bastards, wouldn't have hesitated to shoot an entirely family. To slaughter an innocent village. You stopped the bad guys, Taylor. Don't... waste your sympathy for people like that... For people like Lundgren, or Rourke." He said imploringly.

Taylor took a deep breath, trying to focus on the hatred and disgust he felt for both Rourke and Lundgren, and focus it toward the down soldiers. He released a shuddering sigh, and nodded vaguely. Jake seemed to sense his lingering doubt, but wisely chose to say nothing, instead stepping back to lead Taylor toward the truck. He was about to follow the pilot, when he was struck by a sudden thought, abd he looked back again with his gut twisting in disgust.

"Jake... Hang on a second." He said quietly, drawing the pilots attention back to him, as he considered the rapidly forming plan dubiously. He looked up at the pilot with a small frown, biting his lip uncertainly, before straitening in determination. "I... think I have an idea..." He said, moving over to the closest soldier, and crouching beside him. He took a deep breath, and with trembling hands, reached forward to begin removing the soldiers armour.

"Taylor, what're-" Jake asked, frowning as he walked up behind Taylor.

"The only way in is the gondola..." Taylor said quietly, though his reply still cut off Jake's query. "There's no way, we can get over the gondola without getting caught... So, we need to  _be_  caught...  _and_  to hide; but to do it, in plain sight." He explained, as Jake fell into a stunned silence. After a moment, a hand settled on his shoulder, and he glanced up to see Jake crouched just behind him.

"Leave this to us," the pilot offered quietly, as the others came over to help. "You can get the truck ready to-"

"I did it, Jake." Taylor said, patting the pilots hand appreciatively all the same. "The least I can do is face up to it." He said, turning back to continue stripping down the soldier. He heard Jake sigh, and reluctantly give in, before moving away to strip down another soldier, motioning for the others to take the final two between them. When the soldiers were completely stripped of their armour and weapons, the group collectively ushered Taylor back to the humvee, refusing to let him linger and torment himself with the frozen faces any longer.

He sat against the doors in the back, with Jake sliding into place beside him. He glanced up, and offered a weak smile, before leaning his head against the pilot shoulder, and accepting the silent comfort the other man offered him. _Jake's right, I know that... They would have killed us all; as well as the others. This doesn't make me like Rourke, or Lundgren, just because I stopped them from having the chance_. He thought, narrowing his eyes at his own twiddling fingers.  _I did it to protect those I love, not for the sake of it... And I certainly didn't enjoy it._  He thought, nodding to himself as he took a deep breath and settled himself more comfortably against Jake, who draped an arm around his shoulders; as if sensing his shift in mood.

By the time they'd reunited with the others near the falls, he was reconciled with his actions at least, and able to function again. He helped the others unload Arachnids supplies, before hiding the humvee a short ways away in the trees. When they returned once more, everyone circled around them, staring in shock as he explained his plan.

"Hold on..." Craig choked, gesturing down to the four sets of salvaged armour in wide eyed disbelief. "You're talking about _sneaking into Rourke's lair_  wearing these suits..?"

"Like we said," Taylor repeated with a sigh, rubbing his forehead distractedly. "The gondola, is the only way across. So, a disguise is the only way they'd let us in... Well, without immediate capture, imprisonment and or death..." He added in frustration, earning himself a playful nudge from Quinn.

"It's  _so_  insane, that it just might work!" Raj cheered, high fiving Jake, Estela and Sean enthusiastically.

 _"Why_  do people say that?" Aleister sneered in frustration, running a hand over his immaculate hair as he glared at Raj. "Nothing is so  _insane_  that it works!"

"It's an interesting idea, but there's just one problem." Sean said, thoughtfully scratching his chin.

 _"One?!"_  Aleister choked, his disbelief growing as his incredulous gaze turned to Sean.

"Okay, sure,  _lots_  of problems..." Sean admitted, his face falling as he rubbed at his shoulder. "But a big one is that, we've got four suits... But there are eleven of us." He said, gesturing around the group.

 _"Hrrmph!"_  Furball growled, a puff of icicles attaching itself to Sean's foot, as he yelped in surprise and tried to shake them off.

"Sorry, little man." Raj said, dropping low to scoop the little blue fox into his arms. "He means twelve; but, I don't think they make suits in your size anyway."

"That's the best part of the plan." Jake snorted, his eyes alight with pride as he tipped his head to Taylor. "Tell 'em, Boy Scout."

"The rest of us don't wear disguises." Taylor said, looking around the group seriously. "We go as prisoners." He explained, as half the group gasped in disbelief and the other half groaned in rising fury.

"You're asking us to _turn ourselves in_?" Zahra scoffed, scowling at Taylor. "To those  _psychos?!"_

"Yes." Estela said simply, her arms folded over her chest as she leaned against a tree, watching the waterfall disinterestedly. "And once we're inside, the ones dressed as Arachnid, will free the rest of us."

"And we make a break, for the Lernaean Gate." Michelle concluded, high fiving Estela without even glancing at the other girl.

"Huh...  _That..."_  Sean stammered thoughtfully, puffing out a great breath of air as he considered the plan. "That could actually work."

"It  _could."_  Zahra agreed with a scoff, folding her arms over her chest in frustration. "But it's more likely we end up shish-kebabed on that braided girls katanas.

"Snape, we  _need_  you." Taylor said, looking over at her imploringly. "You're our expert hacker! If  _anyone_  can get us through their security once we're inside; it's  _you..."_  He said.

 _"Obviously."_  Zahra said, flicking her Mohawk over her shoulder as a wicked grin curled her lips upward. "But, at least you acknowledge it." She added smugly, as she bumped her fist to his.

"I know this sounds crazy..." Taylor said slowly, his heart locked in a permanent state of flux, both excited and terrified; as the end of their time together drew closer. "But... This is our one shot at getting everyone home. Everyone.  _Together."_  He said, purposely avoiding meeting peoples eyes as he looked at the  **MASADA**  Complex in the distance.

"Then what the hell are we waiting for?" Craig demanded, scowling around the group. "Let's blow this joint!"

"Way ahead of you." Raj sniggered, beaming a wide grin over at his friend. His expression faltered, as the jock stared at him blankly. Realisation setting in. "Oh, you meant 'leave.'" He said slowly, nodding his head quickly. "Yeah, let's do it."

"That's all well and good, but some of us are still hurt." Michelle said, gesturing to Zahra and Sean both. "But, if we use the last of the leaves now, and get a good nights rest, then we should be ready to go first thing..."

"Michelle's right." Grace said, nodding along in agreement. "We should at least give the wounded a chance to recover."

"So, let's rest up 'til dawn." Quinn said, gesturing towards the gear they'd unloaded from the humvee. "Those tents you took from Arachnid will keep us warm through the night, and there's more tha enough for everyone."

"Perfect." Taylor said, running a hand through his hair as he smiled tiredly. "Let's get a fire going, and get camp set up."

"On it." Raj said, already lining a fire pit with stones. Taylor was about to move away and help with the setting up, when he caught a strange expression on Sean's face.

"Sean?" He asked, stepping closer and waving his hand before the athletes face to draw his attention. "What's up?"

"It's just  _weird..."_  Sean admitted, shaking his head as he snorted in a strange mix of amusement and exasperation. "This whole time, we've been racing forward, with no idea what's coming next. But now... we finally do. This time tomorrow, we'll either be back home... or we'll be dead." He said, and Taylor winced at the grim certainty in the athletes tone, his heart hammering in his chest, as Sean moved away to help the others.  _Home..._  Taylor thought, swallowing heavily as he turned to survey his friends with his heart aching desperately.  _I'll make sure that you're home_. He thought, as he spotted a flash of blue near to where Diego was attempting to erect a tent. _Varyyn... How bout that talk..?_  He thought, watching as the Vaanti looked up, seeking him out before nodding, and discreetly moving away into the trees.

He gave it a full minute, before he slipped away from the bustling group, dodging his way through the trees to where he sensed Varyyn to be waiting. "You're uneasy." The Vaanti king called softly, startling as he appeared from behind a tree, just to his left. "I did not mean to-"

"It's fine." Taylor said dismissively, running a hand through his hair as he moved to a tree ahead of him and slid down against it, watching the path back to camp in case anybody had followed them. "I just... I need your help." He said, looking up at Varyyn pleadingly, as the Elyyshar blinked in surprise. "You said, you'd help me... So, what do I do? How do I remember everything? How do I-"

"Taylor, I cannot do what you ask." Varynn said firmly, shaking his head. When Taylors expression turned confused, the Elyyshar approached him slowly, sitting cross legged in the snow before him.  _"Not_  like  _this._  To be able to help you regain your memories, we would need Uqzhaal's aide. We would need to return to Elyys'tel, and we have passed the point where we may do that now." The Elyyshar explained, as Taylor sighed in frustration and tipped his head back against the tree. "Perhaps, had we considered before leaving, we might have thought to-"

"So there's  _nothing?"_  Taylor groused, scowling as he leaned forward with his arms on his knees. "There's  _nothing_  I can do?"

"Is this about tomorrow?" Varyyn asked, tilting his head curiously as he narrowed his eyes at him. "Or something more? Such as, whatever you're hiding from your friends..?" He pressed, and Taylor glanced up at him guiltily.

"I..." He hesitated, his heart racing with uncertainty, as he debated whether to share the truth with the Vaanti. "Varyyn... What do you really feel for Diego?" He asked instead, distracting himself momentarily from the confusing haze of emotions churning in his gut.

 _"Diego?!"_  Varyyn choked, his eyes widening as his cheeks stained a strange purplish colour. "I... He is, I mean... I-"

"Would you go with him?" Taylor asked, frowning thoughtfully as ge watched the Elyyshar balk further. "If you didn't have to return, I mean... If you weren't the Elyyshar..?" He pressed, an urgency in his gaze which gave the Vaanti leader pause to consider his request.

"If, as you say, I held no obligations in Elyys'tel..." Varyyn said slowly, his gaze softening into something both sad and longing. "I believe I would." He confessed, and Taylor huffed as he leaned back against the tree, oddly relieved to think his friend had someone care so much about him, despite knowing it could never be.

"He'd stay, if he could." Taylor said suddenly, smiling softly at his knee, as he traced an invisible pattern into the fabric. "Hell, I think they all might, if they really could..." He added, chuckling to himself, as his smile faded. "But they can't. If they stay, Rourke will never stop coming for them. If they go... He can't touch them." He said, swallowing thickly as he met Varyyn's narrowed eyes with his own tormented gaze. "But... I don't think I can go with them." He said, the words drawing a deep sigh from him, a profound relief filling him, as he at last admitted it aloud.

"Is this to do with-?" Varyyn asked thoughtfully, hardly seeming surprised at all by Taylors confession.

"I don't know... I've just, always felt I  _can't_  leave. I mean, at first I just thought it was because of Cetus." Taylor babbled, almost giddy from the relief of finally confessing his true feelings. "I couldn't face even the  _idea_  of leaving the island, but then, Jake  _was_  leaving; and that felt so much  _worse..._  So I hopped aboard the boat, and when we first encountered Cetus, I assumed it was to do with him. But-" he sighed, his ramblings halting as he ran a hand through his hair. "Then we found out about the Lernaean Gate... And I felt the same, cloying fear, all over again." He said, gesturing towards his chest vaguely, as he watched Varyyn consider his words.

"And you've not spoken to anyone, to Jake, about this?" Varyyn clarified, as Taylor snorted and shook his head.

"Oh, well... Sort of." He said suddenly, remembering the day they'd travelled to the marina. "I told Craig I wasn't gonna leave once... But, that's all." He said, shrugging his shoulders as Varyyn looked at him thoughtfully.

"You should tell Jake." The Vaanti king said, and Taylor rolled his eyes as he scoffed.

"If I tell Jake, he'll never leave." He said, shaking his head despondently. "He  _has_  to... Even if it turns out I can't." He sighed, huffing a half laugh as he looked off to the side vacantly. "I can't do that. I can't risk his safety, just because... I'd miss him."

"Do you not believe he deserves to make the choice for himself?" Varyyn asked, his head tilting in confusion. "What if the situation were reversed, would you not feel betrayed if the one you loved made such a decision for you?"

"He'd make the stupid choice." Taylor snorted, though he frowned in consideration. "And yeah fine, I'd be pissed but, it's the only-"

"Did you not once say yourself; that deceit was never the right path?" Varyyn interrupted, causing Taylor to scowl over at him petulantly.

"You know, I  _really_  hate having my own words thrown back at me." He sniffed, averting his eyes as he bit his lip, his heart stuttering erratically from his indecision.

"You..." Varyyn said hesitantly, seeming to decide to press on, as Taylor glanced over. "You have talked already today, because you attempted to hide the truth from him... You  _will_  regret it, if he leaves and you were not honest again." The Vaanti said, seeming uncertain of whether he'd overstepped some boundary between them.

Taylor thought back to his earlier conversation with Jake, to his luck and good fortune at the pilots patience with him, and he wondered how different he might be feeling now; had the pilot not been so understanding. _If I keep it to myself and he leaves, he'd hate me, when he realized I wasn't there with them... But, he'd be there._  He thought, his heart racing as he picked at a catchy fingernail.  _On the other hand, if I tell him... There's no way in hell I will get him in that Portal, other than brute force... And even that might fall short._  He groaned, his stomach twisting in discomfort at both scenarios. "What... would  _you_  do..?" He asked hesitantly, his voice small as he looked up at Varyyn uncertainly.

"I am blessed, in that I do not have to make such a decision." Varyyn snorted unhelpfully, and Taylor huffed in amusement despite himself, sighing deeply as he shook his head and forced his thoughts away for later reflection. "There is a time for everything," Varyyn said, appearing emboldened by Taylors reaction.

"And everything in it's time..." Taylor muttered distractedly, frowning as he met Varyyn's surprised, but pleased gaze.

"Indeed." Varyyn agreed excitedly. "I was not aware Uqzhaal had taught you some of The Endless's teachings..."

"He didn't..." Taylor said quietly, frowning as he tried to concentrate on the words, and understand where they'd come from. However all they seemed to inspire, was a deep coldness, which seemed to radiate from his heart. "It just... seemed to fit." He hedged, shifting slightly as he cleared his throat. "The Endless," he said suddenly, his eyes narrowing in thought. "Did they ever teach the Vaanti to manipulate time, as they do I mean?"

"That is not The Endless's way," Varyyn said, his expression thoughtful as he considered Taylors question. "I have heard  _rumours,_  of those who call themselves 'Anachronist's'... but, I have always believed them to be what Diego refers to as, 'bedlam scurvies.'"

"What the  _hell_  has he been telling you?" Taylor laughed, shaking his head as he considered the Vaanti's words. "Wait, d'you mean 'bedtime stories?'" He snorted, as Varyyn nodded eagerly.

"Yes, exactly. Bedlam scurvies." He repeated, as Taylor sniggered to himself, and made a mental note to inform Diego of the slip later. "Anachronist's  _supposedly_  bend time to their advantage, and even travel it at their leisure. But  _my_  people, believe The Endless to be the only one capable of such a feat."

"You've never met one?" Taylor asked, his mind racing as he wondered at the possibilities. "Not even had one pass through?"

"No." Varyyn said, shaking his head. He frowned at Taylor, eyeing him curiously. "Is there a reason you're-"

"Just curious how much your great idol passed down to you, you know, for all your years of blind devotion and worship." Taylor said lightly, storing the information away in the back of his mind. "Honestly, I was just curious how the great one did it themself. Whether it had some knack to it or something." He added, at Varyyn's skeptical look.

"Hmm, it is believed to be a talent only they possess, and even then only through intense meditation and mental training; as well as their connection to Vaanu. But, there are also stories that their suit is a magical artifact." Varyyn explained, though his expression remained dubious. "I believe Diego would say there was a 'shitbull' here, right now..." He said hesitantly, and Taylor laughed, brushing aside his thoughts of The Endless for the evening, as he pushed to his feet.

"I  _assure_  you, there are no  _shitbull's_  to be found here." He sniggered, as Varyyn followed his example and pushed to his feet. "But you should  _definitely_  tell Diego you saw one, he will be so impressed." He said, pointing his finger at the Vaanti with an over-exaggerated, thoughtful grin.

"Thankyou for the advice, my friend." Varyyn said, clapping Taylor on the shoulder, as he sniggered and shook his head.

"No, thank  _you."_  He said, before tipping his head back towards the camp. By the time they arrived back, night had fallen, and the sky shimmered with infinite stars. "Whoa..." He gasped, as he peered up at the glittering lights which appeared above them, as they stepped out from the trees, his eyes widening with wonder. He ducked his head guiltily, as he saw the others finish erecting the last of the tents; with Grace organizing, as Craig lifted the heavy stuff.

"Right over here," she said cheerily, as the jock followed her directions. "Slot that support into the notch."

 _"Rrf..."_  Craig grunted, as he shifted the final bracer for the back of a tent. "Here?"

"Perfect!" Grace cheered, high fiving the jock as he clambered out the tent. "All done!" She giggled, as Taylor slid in behind her.

"With this many tents, everyone can sleep comfortably." He said, ruffling her hair as she giggled and cast him a sly glance.

"Well, we debated only setting up eleven, but we thought it might be presumptuous of us..." She giggled, as Taylors jaw dropped. "After all, Jake might still be mad at you." She sniggered, as Taylor winced, tensing as he sensed someone behind him.

"Uh, mad at me..?" He asked, turning to find the pilot waiting, his brow raised as he ran his eyes over him.

"Yeah ya know, little thing. Disappearin' off into the woods with anoth-" Jake began, only for Taylor to hurriedly cut him off.

"No, no, no,  _no."_  He said flatly, waving his hands before the pilot in a large crossing motion. "Sorry, but I'm gonna have to just tell you to shut up. There is  _no_  way you're convincing me that thought ever crossed your mind." He said, folding his arms over his chest defiantly, pretending he didn't feel the tickle of fear in his heart.

For a long moment they stared at each other, before Jake grinned crookedly, winking at Craig as the jock groaned. "Told ya." He sniggered, as the jock dug a crumpled five dollar bill from his bag and reluctantly slapped it into the pilots hand.

"You bet on me falling for that?" Taylor huffed, relief flooding him as the pilot grinned at his awkward shifting knowingly.

"Was an easy win." Jake sniggered, shoving the bill into his pocket carelessly. "Made ya shit yourself for a minute there, didn't it?" He said, moving past Taylor and swatting him on the ass as he passed. "Serves ya right." He sniggered, as Taylor grumbled under his breath, but ultimately accepted the playful scolding.

"Oh my god, Taylor, look!" Grace cried, forgetting her amusement as she pointed past him to the sky. He turned to see a breathtaking meteor shower, filling the sky with dazzling streaks of light.

"It's...  _incredible."_  He murmured, gazing up in awe at the beautiful night sky.

"Dude, I've never seen so many!" Craig exclaimed, his face lit with a childlike glee. "This is wild!"

"Are they the Quadrantids?" Grace wondered aloud, excitedly running through various theories as she stared up at the sky joyously. "Or maybe ancient meteors we've never even heard of?!"

"Diego," Taylor called over his shoulder, "you gotta check this-" he broke off with a frown, looking round for Diego, only to find his friend standing awkwardly on his own; his arms wrapped around himself, as he looked out over the edge of the falls. Taylors frown turned sad, as he followed Diego's gaze, to realize he was looking at where Varyyn was sitting; alone, at the cliff's edge, quietly watching the shower.

Taylor walked over to Diego, nudging him gently with his shoulder. "Hey," he said by way of greeting, "what's bugging you?"

"Ehhh..." Diego sighed, grimacing as his cheeks flushed with red. "It's nothing. Just... Goodbyes suck, you know?" He said, his eyes darting to Taylors briefly, before returning to Varyyn longingly.

"Yeah..." Taylor agreed, his throat constricting painfully, as he considered a farewell between himself and his pilot. "You know, I have it on good authority he'd come with you... if he could." He said, glancing slyly at his friend.

"Yeah, I get it. He can't..." Diego sighed, running his hands through his hair. "We're from different times, it couldn't last, et cetera... Wait,  _what?!"_  He asked, his eyes widening as his jaw dropped.

"I asked." Taylor sniggered, his eyes dancing with amusement, as he watched his friend slowly turn crimson. "Thought you might like to know..." He said innocently, rocking forward on his toes.

"Huh..." Diego huffed, blowing his hair out of his face, as he covered his mouth with his hands. "Of  _course!_  My heart would be dumb enough to go for the 'Romeo and Juliet Across Spacetime' love story..." He groaned, burying his face in his hands entirely, as he flitted between hiccupping laughter and sobs alike.

"Diego, I'm not sure if I should be worried you just made yourself into Juliet or-" Taylor laughs, as Diego swatted his shoulder and levelled a glare at him. "Okay, okay... I  _totally_  believe you could be Romeo..!" He sniggered unbelievably, as Diego rolled his eyes. "But seriously, dude. Just because something ends  _tomorrow,_  doesn't mean... You shouldn't enjoy it,  _today."_  He said, sobering as he considered his own words. He bit his lip, and wondered if he should even take his own advice.

"Dammit, you're always right." Diego huffed, and Taylor barked in surprised laughter, looking over at Diego with a raised brow. "Okay, when it comes to  _me,_  and my confidence issues; you're always right. Other wise, you're a crazy assbutt." Diego corrected, bumping his fist to Taylors briefly, before sucking in a deep breath and turning back towards Varyyn. "I'm gonna do it... I'm gonna go over there." He said, quickly smoothing his hair. "Okay, how do I look?" He asked, turning back to Taylor briefly, who grinned broadly.

"Honestly, with your new hair? Like a total heartthrob." He sniggered, before eyeing his friends beard pointedly. "Though you can always tidy up the birds nest."

"Hey, leave Horatio alone, dude. He's  _sensitive."_  Diego said, scowling as he smoothed his beard fondly.

"Oh, so we've moved on from horses, to sailors?" Taylor laughed, nudging Diego towards the Elyyshar. "That makes it all better." He scoffed, rolling his eyes as Diego winked at him.

"I'll take it." He said, as Taylor shook his head fondly, before turning and walking away to join Varyyn by the waterfall. The pair sat quietly for a moment, staring at the meteors sailing by overhead. "Amazing, right?" Diego asked at last, as he glanced at Varyyn shyly.

"Yes. I enjoy watching them." Varyyn agreed, his eyes remaining locked on the streaking stars. "They glow so bright and so brief, as they burn away to nothing." He said, and Taylor winced, cursing the Vaanti's blunt way of speaking.

"That's kinda sad, Varyyn..." Diego said, his expression falling as his gaze returned to the sky. "But also, kinda beautiful."

"I believe  _all_  things that end, are sad and beautiful." The Elyyshar confessed quietly, and for another brief moment, silence reigned between them.

"Huh, guess I never... really thought about it like that." Diego admitted, his shoulders rising as he drew in a deep breath. "These meteors must've travelled for like, thousands? Millions of years?" He sighed, shaking his head in awe. "Until... until  _we_  just..." He stammered, and as one, Diego and Varyyn's eyes met. "... got in the way." He said sadly, his eyes welling with emotions which Taylor could decipher even over the distance between them. "They could've just kept going, alone in space, none the wiser..."

"That is  _no_  existence." Varyyn said, shaking his head firmly, as Diego's chest hitched with a skipped breath. "At least these ones are  _seen._  At least their brightness can be seen, before they go." He said quietly, leading them to fall silent once more. "Sometimes..." Varyyn said slowly, his lip curling as he stared up at the sky thoughtfully. "The meteors fall here on Vaanu. I went to see one once." He confessed guiltily, as Taylor shook his head to displace the brief shock of pain. "It was different from the others. It was... a machine."

"Wait..." Diego gasped, his eyes widening as he turned to Varyyn in shock. "A machine?"

"Yes." Varyyn confroned excitedly, moving his arms to visually enhance his description. "Smooth, round iron, and great wide, square wings."

"A satellite." Diego choked, dissolving into a fit of coughing as he tried to hold back his hysterical giggles "You're saying, you found a crashed satellite?"

"Satellite?" Varyyn asked, cocking his head curiously, as Diego flushed with pink.

"They, uh..." He said haltingly, before shaking his head and quickly continuing. "They fly in space, all around the world. They're used to send messages."

"Send them home?" Varyyn asked, frowning as he tried to understand the confusing concept.

"Yeah." Diego nodded, grinning as placed his hands on the ground either side of his legs and leaned on them lightly.

"Tomorrow..." Varyyn said, his gaze meeting Diego's sadly.  _"You_  are sent home."

Diego's face fell, his eyes filling with regret and sadness, as he turned to look at his lap. "... Yeah." He repeated, considerably more subdued than he had been previously. He glanced at Varyyn, biting his lip worriedly. "Will  _you_  be okay? We got separated from the Vaanti scouts, back at the chasm." He said, running his eyes over the Elyyshar nervously. "You'll have to get out on your own, to take The Islands Heart back to your people..."

"I will be fine, my friend. I will survive the journey..." Varyyn assured brightly, his lip hooking upward in a crooked grin. "But...  _I will miss you_." He said, putting his hand on Diego's shoulder.

Diego bit his lip, glancing up at Varyyn with his heartache written plainly across his face. "Ya know, when I first went to college, I got homesick a lot." He said, only for Varyyn to scowl in confusion.

"'Home-sick'?" The Elyyshar asked, his expression softening slightly as Diego huffed a small laugh, and flashed him a wry grin.

"It's like, when you're far away, and you miss your home..." Diego explained, gazing at the horizon thoughtfully. "And the people who mattered to you back there."

"I have never left my home." Varyyn said softly, looking at Diego with a regretful frown. "I... can never. I will never have this feeling." He said, trying to imagine it for a moment, and shuddering. "It seems horrible." He said, gazing at Diego sympathetically.

"You sorta get used to it." Diego said, shrugging nonchalantly. Taylor felt his heart ache for his friend, sensing the pain he was trying to play down. "I realized that, I had to move on with my life, and strike out on my own... But, I never stopped missing my family back in Riverside, and I never will. So, I tried to... carry them with me. In  _here."_  He said, touching his own heart.

Varyyn slowly reached his hand over, and touched Diego's heart too. "In there." He repeated quietly, as Diego stared at the Elyyshar, swallowing heavily as he tried to find the words to continue.

"At night," he said breathlessly, his eyes locked onto Varyyn. "I'd look up at the sky, and know that they were looking at the same stars... And what's great about stars is, they live for millions and millions of years." He said, taking a deep breath, and forcing a smile to his face, pretending he didn't feel the tears threatening to spill onto his cheeks. "So... tomorrow night; when I'm back in my time and you're in your time, I'll be able to look at the stars... and know that  _you're_  seeing the same ones." He said, taking Varyyn's hand in his own.

Taylor closed his eyes, grinning sappily, as the pair slowly leaned toward each other, their lips meeting. He peeked between his fingers, to see them holding each other tenderly, framed by the blazing meteor shower; losing themselves in a passionate kiss, as Varyyn ran his fingers through Diego's hair. At last taking a breath, Diego sighed, and let himself rest in Varyyn's arms. " _Best. Vacation. Ever._ " He said, beaming out at the night sky, as Taylor slipped away.

As he returned to camp, Raj called him over to his campfire. He strolled over to join him, Quinn and Furball near the strong flames. "Whoa, Raj..." He said, his mouth watering at the smells which over took him as hw stepped closer. "It smells amazing over here. What are you cooking?"

"Check it." Raj said, beaming a wide grin as he pointed to various dishes, pots and pans. "We've got sausages, vegetable kebabs..." He began to list, only for Quinn to giggle and cut him off.

"Where did you get all this?" She asked, gave up attempting to give her a stern look, instead shrugging sheepishly.

"Raided the kitchens back at the Lodge." He admitted, showing them the inside of hos backpack, which was brimming with various ingredients. "Between good food and a few hilarious t-shirts, what else does a man need?"

Taylor opened his mouth tto reply, his brows raising in amusement, when Quinn beat him to it. "I'm pretty sure I know exactly what else Taylor needs..." She giggled, as he shook his head and smirked over at her. "And it begins with Jake's d-"

 _"Quinn!"_  Taylor choked, his eyes widening as she laughed at him. "Okay, I was gonna let you have that one, because... It's true. But  _still!"_  He said, shaking his head in disbelief, as she winked coyly at him.

"Here," Raj said, serving the pair of them some fresh cooked food each, utterly oblivious of Quinn's teasing. "Dig in!"

 _"Mmmm..!"_  Quinn groaned, as she bit into one of Raj's freshly cooked sausages delicately.

"This..." Taylor agreed more coherently, gesturing to an assortment of beans on the side of his plate. "Is  _so_  delicious." He said, beaming at the chef as he gorged himself on the excellent food, while nearby; Furball eagerly devoured a vegetable kebab.

"Ha ha!" Raj chuckled, tossing the little fox another when he was finished. "Furball loves his veggies!" He said, pointing at the little fox fondly as he began to gnaw at the second kebab. "Eat up, little man! Gotta get big and strong, if you're gonna be a Guardian one day!"

Once he was finished, Furball licked his mouth with his long tongue in obvious satisfaction. Sated and sleepy, the little fox nuzzled his way into Taylors lap, curling up contentedlg, as Taylor began to idly stroke his fur. "Aww..." Quinn cooed, as Furball almost seemed to purr with happiness. "He's gonna miss you a lot when you go home."

 _Heh, kinda depends if I'm even going anywhere.._. Taylor thought waspishly, before immediately feeling guilty. He smiled down at the little fox, anticipating in his gut that the little blue creature would be a part of their lives yet. "I think I'll wait and see what happens tomorrow..." Taylor said quietly, petting the sleepy fox awhile longer, before gently passing him over to Quinn's lap. He got to his feet to wander the camp, thinking about the plan, thinking about Diego and Varyyn, and as always; thinking about Jake. As he passed by a clearing near the tents, he ducked back quickly, upon noticing Sean and Michelle sitting side by side on a log; alone. In the wind, he was able to catch part of their conversation.

"So, that's it..." Michelle said hesitantly, her nerves obvious in her nervous knee bouncing, as Taylor peeked around the tent he was hiding behind. "I know you have,  _zero reason_ , to believe me... but it's true."

Sean shook his head, and looked down at the floor, taking a deep breath as he scrubbed his hand over his face. "What's crazy... Is that I have  _every_  reason to believe you." He said, raising his gaze to the blondes, as she seemed to hold her breath in nervous anticipation. "I still know you, Michelle. I know, how hard that must've been for you to say just now..." He said, shaking his head as he swallowed heavily, his expression morphing into a disgusted scowl. "I can't believe those  _scumbag_  friends of yours-"

"They're  _not_  my friends, Sean." Michelle said quietly, resting her hand over his to calm him.  _"You_  are. I know... part of you will always hate me, for letting you think this for so long, and; you're  _totally_  right to!" She said quickly, raising both hands in placation. "But you're still one of the  _best_  people I've ever met... I needed to finally tell you the truth. To finally tell you... I'm sorry." She said, lowering her hands to her lap, as Sean's shoulders heaved; the athlete giving a deep sigh.

"Thankyou, Michelle..." He said, pulling her into a hug. "But, I should say the same... I never even gave you a chance to finish speaking, back at the hotel... You tried to tell me then, but I was just too..."

"You were hurting, I get it." Michelle said quietly, patting his back before drawing away.

"Yeah, but I didn't need to be..." He said, shaking his head in irritation. "I was so awful to you, and that must have hurt so bad. No wonder Taylor hit me that day..." He said, and Taylor covered his mouth with his hand to contain his short of laughter, thinking back to his conversation at the riverside with the athlete; which had been erased by the time loop. He peeked up at them, seeing them locked in their conversation still, but the wind had shifted to once more make their words private. He moved away, and as he kept walking, he couldn't help smiling to himself happily.

He moved on to find Grace, Zahra and Jake around another fire, telling stories and laughing. "Taylor!  _Taylor!_  Come sit!" Grace called excitedly, her eyes radiating with joy and laughter. He sat beside Jake when the pilot scooted over for him, melting into the pilots side as the other man weaved their hands together.

"Hey." The pilot said lowly, smirking when Taylor grinned up at him and winked, offering no verbal response.

"Jake was just telling us, about how him and his old wing mate used to prank each other all the time." Zahra explained, and Taylor felt Jake tense against him, as he hung his head.

"Don't stop on my account..." He said, nudging the pilot gently, and smiling up at him. He felt the stirrings of jealousy in his gut, but the pilots obvious concern for him helped him keep a tight leash on it.  _Hell, maybe knowing more about the guy will help me feel less threatened by him._.. He thought, his smile feeling more natural as the idea took root, filling him with hope.

"Uh, so..." Jake began hesitantly, only for Taylor to roll his eyes and nudge him again, looking down at their laced fingers pointedly. "So, our covers blown. M.P.S. cops are hot on our tail..." The pilot said, his grin growing as he got back into his story slowly. "They chase us to the top of the Ryugyong Hotel... Only one way down from there." He said dramatically, winking at Taylor when he glanced up, and squeezing his hand in an oddly reassuring gesture; which made Taylors heart swell with affection for the pilots consideration. "Me and Mike grab our chutes, run through the window, and basically B.A.S.E. jump from the tallest building in Pyongyang, with cops shooting at us off the tower, and all these locals gawking up at us and pointing." He explained, mimicking stunned civilians pointing at the sky in awe, as Taylor smiled softly and leaned against his shoulder.

"And I just hear Mike, laughing his ass off behind me..." He continued, and Taylor quickly tramped down on the quick bite of jealousy, telling himself to just listen to the glimpse into Jake's past. "So, I look up; and spray painted in huge Korean Hangul on my open chute is... _'I can't stop farting.'"_  He said with a fond snigger, his thumb swiping affectionately across the back of Taylor's hand, as Zahra burst out laughing.

"That's  _so_  good!" She snorted, rocking back and forth as she slapped her knee gleefully.

"That's  _so_  mean!" Grace cried, her hands rising to cover her mouth in horror.

Taylor bit his lip, tentatively feeling for the jealousy within him, only to find it sedated; muted perhaps, by the pilots constant show of affection to him during his recounting. He looked up to find Jake watching him worriedly, and he smiled gently, squeezing the pilots hand softly. "Mike... sounds like he was awesome." He said, and he was pleased when the words felt genuine. He hoped it was a sign that he might be able to get past his irrationality after all.

"Yeah..." Jake muttered, his shoulders visibly relaxing as he drew Taylor closer against him. "He really  _was."_  He said with a wry grin, pressing a kiss to Taylor's brow discreetly.

"That  _might,"_  Zahra began, smirking around them all coyly. "Even top the time I hacked this price gouging pharma exec's credit card..." She said, pausing for dramatic effect, as her smirk grew to a cocky grin. "And ordered forty seven stripper clowns, to crash his  _eightieth_  birthday party."

"Well played." Jake snorted, fist bumping with her across the fire.

"That... might be more of a 'felony' than a 'prank'." Grace said worriedly, tapping her fingers together nervously.

"Meh. Potato, po-tah-to." Zahra scoffed, shrugging her shoulders disinterestedly. "What about  _you,_  Taylor? Any all time, great pranks?" She asked eagerly.

 _"Me?"_  Taylor asked innocently, sniggering when he couldn't keep the effect in place. "I once dressed up as a movie monster to scare Diego." He admitted, grinning proudly, as Zahra began to cackle already. "Sophomore year, we'd just watched The Ring for the first time... Bought a black wig, and hid in his closet." He said, biting his lip as Jake burst out laughing beside him.

"Ha ha!" The pilot huffed, shaking his head as he looked down at Taylor fondly.  _"Man,_  what I'd give to see Pop Culture Petey's face right then..."

"Trust me when I say; it was absolutely worth the hour and a half wait." Taylor sniggered proudly, and was about to comment further, when he frowned suddenly instead. Although he'd been able to remember the event perfectly to recount, he found the entire memory had been swept away when he tried to return to it. He could recall that the memory had existed, but couldn't locate it to examine closer.

"Oh my gosh!" Grace gasped, shaking her head as she pressed her fingers over her mouth. "You two are just  _awful!"_  She said, distracting Taylor from his memory hunt, as Jake rumbled with laughter beside him.

"Oh, come on." The pilot snorted, winking down at Taylor with a wide grin. "Harmless pranks are what make friendship great."

 _"Ow!"_  Taylor yelped, as something collided with the top of his head. He drew away from Jake's side to pout up at Diego accusingly, only to find his friend glaring at him.

"You  _know_  what that was for!" Diego insisted, as Taylor frowned, before catching sight of Varyyn standing off to the side, appearing faintly confused.

He began to giggle, peeking back up at Diego unashamedly. "Yeah... I do..." He admitted, as Diego stalked over to the other side of the group, and sat down with Varyyn and Grace. He shook his head at Jake's questioning brow, biting his lip at the entirely faked, furious scowl on Diego's face. He laughed quietly to himself, and felt a lightness settle within him, as the night went on; with food, stories, and laughter.

Soon, he found himself lying on his back with his friends around the weakening campfire, his hand still laced together with Jake's; as they stared up at the meteors streaking overhead. "Hey..." Craig asked, breaking the comfortable silence which had fallen over them. "Anybody else kinda nervous about goin' home?"

"So many questions." Grace sighed, as Taylor felt his gut clench in uncertainty. "What will it be like? What will  _we_  be like?" She wondered aloud, unaware of how each word felt like a twist of sharp knife in Taylors heart. "How could we just walk around, go about our lives like normal... after everything we've seen and done?" She asked in awe, shaking her head at the stars.

"I missed an entire quarter." Michelle sighed, her blonde hair fanning around her on the ground.  _"Definitely_  gonna have to work twice as hard to get back to the top of my class..." She said determinedly, and though Taylor admired her conviction, he couldn't help but feel a stinging loss at the thought of her leaving.

"Huh." Sean hummed, scratching his chest idly. "I missed my whole senior season..." He said worriedly, as Taylor felt his chest begin to constrict over his heart and lungs.

"Guys, I bet the entire  _country_  was looking for us!" Raj gasped, a wide, excited grin forming on his face. "Do you think we're famous? Are we gonna be  _celebrities_  when we get back?!"

"Heavens, I should hope  _not."_  Aleister sneered, shuddering at the very thought. Taylor was struck by the sudden burst of an idea, and he frowned, worrying his lip nervously.

"Come on, Al." Raj cheered, utterly ignorant of the pale boys scowl. "Don't you wanna hang out with us on the talk show circuit?"

"Do  _not_  call me, Al." Aleister demanded coldly, sniffing in disdain as he pointedly avoided answering the large boy.

"You're presuming anyone will  _believe_  us." Estela said with a wide grin, ignoring Aleister's outburst entirely. "If someone told you, about even half the stuff we've seen... Would  _you_  have believed them?" She asked, giggling as she tipped her head up to look at everyone upside down. "We'll probably be locked in an insane asylum-"

"That's if the government doesn't silence us-" Jake snorted, a huge grin on his face as Grace huffed loudly in irritation.

"You two are  _seriously_  ruining the mood!" She scolded, pouting up at the stars as they shared a snigger.

"Sorry, sorry." Jake said finally, sighing as he rolled his eyes fondly. "We'll all be superstars, everything will be sunshine and rainbows, and we'll be together forever." He said with a snort, glancing over at the small gasp which escaped Taylor, when his heart skipped a beat. He closed his eyes, pretending to merely be tired, as the pilot squeezed his hand.

 _What I wouldn't give, to spend forever with you._.. He thought desperately, his heart aching painfully at the impending separation.

"That's better." Grace chirped happily, as Taylor dragged in a deep breath, and opened his eyes to the stars once more; desperate to give them all a farewell, just incase.

"I'm just glad that..." He began, pausing to steady himself as his voice tried to catch itself. "I'm so,  _so_  glad I got to meet you all." He said thickly, the visions he'd seen on the idols springing to his mind suddenly. "And that we  _survived."_  He added in a rough rasp, wiping at his damp eyes with his jacket sleeve.

"Cheers to  _that."_  Sean agreed, raising his fist into the air, a gesture which Raj immediately copied with both of his own.

"Damn straight." Jake said, squeezing his hand, as he frowned over at Taylor, but mimicked Sean's gesture.

"Hear, hear." Diego cheered, raising his own fist to the other two eagerly, and encouraging Varyyn to do the same.

"We obviously have some danger left to navigate, but..." Aleister hedged thoughtfully, raising his own fist tentatively when Grace threw her own into the circle. "Yes, we are quite fortunate."

"Life can be taken away  _so_  easily..." Estela said quietly, obviously thinking if her mother, raising her own fist alongside Quinn and Michelle. "So  _yeah,_  I'd say we're lucky to be here."

"I just wish we could stay like this forever..." Craig said, raising his own fist alongside Zahra's, as Taylors heart leapt painfully within him; wishing the very same thing. He raised his own fist to the group, completing their joint bump with a faint huff of affection, wishing he could find the words to convey his true feelings for them all.

As they all lowered their hands, they fell into a comfortable silence. They lay on their backs together, in a circle around the dying fire, watching the stars fall. Taylor lost track of time, staring at the flickering lights above them, unaware of his friends rising one by one to crawl into tents to sleep. When he finally snapped out of his tide of emotions, the fire had already faded to embers.

"Goodnight, everyone." Quinn called, zipping up her tent as Taylor sat up and looked around in a daze.

"Try to get some rest." Sean encouraged, as he disappeared within his own tent.

"We'll need it." Estela called, already zipped within her own, and changing; from the sounds emanating through the fabric.

"Yeah, good luck with  _that."_  Jake snorted, squeezing Taylors hand and leaning close to press a light kiss to his cheek, before pushing to his feet. "I reckon everyone's gonna be too anxious to sleep a wink." He sniggered, disappearing into another tent, but noticeably leaving the zip open.

Taylor rubbed his cheek affectionately, staring after the pilot with a mixture of love and concern, wondering if it was truly to be the last night they spent together. He looked around to find it was just himself and Diego remaining, watching the final embers go out together. "Tomorrow..." He said slowly, the words almost a sigh as they slipped past his lips. "Everything's gonna be different..."

"Yep." Diego said with a smirk, nudging his knee playfully. "One last night in paradise..." He said, causing Taylor to laugh quietly when he winked at him suggestively. "Who are you gonna spend it with?" He asked pointedly, laughing when Taylor shoved him lightly.

"Not you," Taylor snorted, shaking his head as he glanced towards the tents.

"I take offense at your easy dismissal of our friendship, and my awesomeness." Diego huffed, pouting at him as Taylor pushed to his feet.

"Trust me when I say it has nothing to do with your awesomeness," Taylor sniggered, winking at his friend as he patted him on the shoulder fondly. "And everything to do with Jake's..." He said, laughing as Diego wrinkled his nose and shook his head.

"Dude, you are way to sharing." Diego sighed flatly, standing to retreat to his own tent. Taylor was about to move away, when Diego's hand settled on his arm, his friend biting his lip as he frowned up at him. "As someone who took advice from you earlier, I wanna give some back..." He said, his eyes moving over to Jake's open tent. "Taylor, as your best friend; I feel I need to subtly nudge you in the right direction every now and then."

"Subtly?" Taylor snorted, beaming a huge grin at his friend as he sniggered behind his hand. "When have you ever done anything subtly? You're about as subtle as a brick to the face; we established this already, buddy."

"Okay, first off shut up. Trying to have a bonding moment with you here." Diego huffed, pouting up at him as Taylor continued to snigger. "Secondly, I may be obvious, but it is only because I care... and get excited." He admitted, breaking out into a grin. "But seriously, I just wanted to say that... you shouldn't waste tonight, dude."

"I wasn't intending to... but my best friend held me back..." Taylor quipped suggestively, laughing when Diego sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Dude, what is it? Does Jake have some sorta pheromone which drives you nuts, or- actually, never mind. Don't answer that!" Diego said quickly, waving his hands before him rapidly and squeezing his eyes shut, as Taylor began to snigger again, biting back the response he'd been about to give. "Urgh, just... worst friend ever." Diego sighed, as Taylor attempted to reign in his amusement.

"I'm sorry, okay? I promise I will listen to whatever, entirely unsubtle advice you wanted to give me." He promised, nudging Diego's shoulder playfully.

"Maybe I don't want to advise you anymore," Diego huffed, shaking his head as Taylor pouted at him. "Fine, but only because you did the face." He said, bumping his fist to Taylor's affectionately. "Dude, don't waste tonight. Tell him." He said bluntly, stunning Taylor as he grinned and did nothing to soften the sudden deliverance. Diego clapped him on the shoulder fondly, before moving away to find his own tent.

"Diego!" Taylor called, just as he was about to disappear within, still locked into place from the shock of Diego's sudden pronouncement. "Thanks, assbutt." He said fondly, winking as Diego snorted and waved goodnight in response, before zipping his tent closed. He smiled shyly, as he quietly climbed into Jake's tent and sat by the entrance for a moment, before slowly zipping the tent closed behind him. His eyes ran over Jake, as the pilot lay shirtless in a sleeping bag, gazing up at the stars through the flap, with a relieved smirk blossoming on his lips. "Well, don't you look cozy?" Taylor asked, sniggering as Jake merely snorted and raised a brow at him.

"Would be a  _whole_  lot cozier, with a warm body next to mine." The pilot said, as Taylor bit his lip in amusement.

"Oh?" He asked, "would any warm body do? I could go get Aleister..." He offered, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb as he sniggered.

 _"That_  boys made of ice, and you  _know_  it." Jake snorted, finally turning his head to look at him fully. "C'mere, Boy Scout." He said firmly, reaching an arm toward him.

Taylor bit his lip, and slipped out of his clothes, watching Jake's eyes rove over him, as his body was slowly revealed. Jake hummed appreciatively, as he snuggled up in the sleeping bag next to him, easing himself into the crook of his arm. "How's that?" He asked, slightly breathless as Jake's intense gaze met his own.

 _"Much,_  cozier." The pilot purred, as he pulled Taylor closer to his side.  _"Although..._  I  _could_  think of something, that would make this moment,  _even_  better..." He said, as his fingertips just barely brushed against the bare skin of Taylors leg, just above his knee. Taylor bit his lip as his heart lurched with excitement, his body flaring with desire. He wondered briefly, how it was that on such a cold night, the pilots hand could be so,  _so_  warm.

"Oh,  _really..?"_  He asked, his breath catching in his throat, as he tilted his head in feigned curiosity. "And,  _uh..._  What  _exactly_  did you have in mind.." He asked, barely stifling a hiss, as Jake's touch roamed further, sliding up his leg and curving toward his inner thigh.

"Oh, you know..." Jake hummed, his clear eyes intent on the sight of Taylor succumbing to his touches. "A little of  _this..."_  He teased, as Taylor bit his lip and squirmed with rising desire. "A little of  _that..."_  He said, his grin turning lopsided, as his fingertips roamed all the way up Taylors thigh and then slid between them to cup his burgeoning erection.

 _"Ooooh..."_  Taylor gasped, his eyes closing in pleasure briefly, before he grinned up at Jake playfully. "A little of  _that,_  huh..?" He asked breathlessly, as the pilot winked. Jake turned towards him, the pilots face just milometers from his own. Taylor bit his lip, able to feel Jake's breath against his rapidly heating skin, their eyes locked together intently, as the pilot stroked him gently. "Jake..." Taylor breathed, as the pilots touch continued to elicit breathy gasps and choked whimpers from him. His hips began to rock softly into the pilots motions, as Jake shook his head on disbelief.

"You're so goddamn beautiful, it hurts." The pilot said quietly, as Taylor gasped, his heart swelling with all the unspoken feelings for the pilot which he harbored.

"Jake..." Taylor moaned quietly, his back arching as the pilot drew a deep swirl of pleasure from his gut. His eyes flicked up to the pilots, his desire obvious, as he whispered words which made Jake's brows rise in amused surprise. "Lets keep going..." He murmured, as he reached over and touched Jake; trailing his own fingers down the pilots firm stomach slowly. "God..." He murmured unthinkingly, his eyes locked onto his fingers as they slid over Jake's skin. "I love touching you..." He whispered, not even noticing his semi-confession, as his hand slid lower and felt the awaiting hard flesh.

Jake arched his head back with a sigh, his eyes closing as Taylor fingers curled around his cock and began to stroke him at a sensual, teasing pace. "Feelings mutual." Jake murmured, taking a moment to enjoy Taylors touch, before easing him onto his back and rolling over him.

Taylors breath caught in his throat, as they were pressed chest to chest in the tight tent; able to feel the pilots heart thundering with desire above him, and aware that Jake would be able to feel his own in return. "The things we do to stay warm, huh?" He teased, as Jake chuckled and dipped his head to kiss Taylors shoulder lightly.

"Oh, I think it's about to get a lot more than  _warm_  in here..." He said, his tone heavy with amusement and obvious insinuation. Taylor grinned, leaning in close and nuzzling against the pilots throat, kissing his way down the side of his neck softly.

"We  _should_  keep it down..." He murmured, biting down on Jake's collarbone gently and relishing the deep growl of pleasure which rumbled through the pilots chest. "Everyone's just outside..." He whispered, soothing the bitten area with his tongue.

Jake smirked, leaning down to Taylors ear and biting the lobe gently.  _"Screw it... Let 'em hear._ " He whispered, drawing back just enough for for them to share equally amused grins, before Taylor surged up to kiss him. His body burnt, as Jake kissed him back hungrily, his teasing touches driving Taylor mad with ever increasing desire, as his groin flooded with heat. He curled his arms around the pilots shoulders, and his legs around Jake's hips, squeezing as he drew him closer against him, and gasping; at the sudden friction against his cock.

"Jake..." He pleaded, as the pilot groaned and rocked against him, his body molding itself against him. Taylor gasped, his back arching, as Jake cupped his cock and squeezed gently, his own cock pressing insistently against Taylors ass.

"Hmm!" He moaned, burying his face in Jake's shoulder, as Jake sank into him slowly. His fingers clawed at Jake's back, urging him deeper as his heart raced beneath the pilots, his body aching for more.  _"Jake..!"_  He groaned, rolling his hips up with a sharp snap, and gasping with satisfaction, as Jake choked and shuddered above him.

 _"Holy-"_  the pilot groaned, his body reacting to Taylors insistent movements, thrusting into him to meet each roll of his hips.

"Jake, I l-" he began, only to choke off into a loud, breathy moan, as Jake shifted his position and rocked harder against him, thrusting deeper.  _"Ohgod..._  Do it again..." He pleaded, his fingers curling into Jake's hair, as the pilot chuckled breathlessly. He gasped, as Jake obeyed, his body moving in harder, deeper motions against him; driving him to a higher peak, as the tightly wound coil of heat in his gut surged.

He moaned, Jake's lips sealing over his own hungrily as he continued to move, his powerful motions stuttering as Taylors ass clamped around him, pulsing with the rush of his orgasm. Taylor felt his body blaze with desire, as they melted together into bliss, Jake's own orgasm filling him with warmth. Though his body had peaked, Taylor was overwhelmed by the rush of love felt for the pilot, and he desperately tried to convey the intense feelings with his kiss. He pulled Jake closer against him, his fingers tangling in his sweat damp hair and locking him into place, as his lips moved almost urgently against the pilots.

By the time he felt he'd properly conveyed his emotions, Jake's lips were swollen, as he gazed down at him with a dazed expression.  _"That_  was..." Jake huffed, rolling carefully to Taylors side, and holding him close. He never finished the sentence, either lost for words or simply too tired, as they lay curled together, their sweat slicked bodies still tingling.

Taylor bit his lip, watching the pilot stare up through the steamy window in the tents flap, a complex look forming on his face. "... Something bothering you, Top Gun?" He finally convinced himself to ask, his blissful feeling fading, as Jake sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Listen..." The pilot said hesitantly, glancing down at him guiltily, instantly bringing Taylors nerves to life. "There's... something I have to tell you."

 _"Please,"_  Taylor muttered, closing his eyes and shaking his head desperately. "Do  _not_  tell me now, that you're married with three kids and you're gonna forget all about me tomo-" his rapid rambling was silenced by Jake's rough kiss, the pilots teeth clamping sharply against his lower lip before retreating.

 _"That_  was for bein' so  _stupid."_  Jake snorted, eyeing him critically, as he shook his head in disbelief. "Holy shit... Fuck a guy senseless and he thinks you're-" he choked, running a hand through his hair, as Taylor flushed and jabbed him in the shoulder.

"Well, don't  _scare_  me like that then..." He grumbled, peering up at Jake's strange expression again. "So, then... what is it?" He asked, kissing the pilots shoulder lightly in apology.

"Tomorrow, when we get to that facility...  _if_  that portal works..." He said, his words disjointed, as they appeared to get stuck in his throat, frustrating him further.

"Everyone'll go home..." Taylor said, looking down as he traced a pattern on the pilots stomach.

"Yeah." The pilot sighed, his arm tightening around Taylors shoulder. He looked up to see Jake's face twist with regret, his lips curving down into a forlorn grimace. "And, I  _can't_  go with you."

"Wait,  _what?!"_  Taylor choked, his eyes widening as he lifted himself as much as possible, staring down at Jake in abject horror. "No, you  _have_  to go." He said firmly, scowling down at him.

"I'm a  _wanted man_  in the States, Taylor." Jake explained with a sigh, his hand rising to Taylors cheek, as his eyes ran over him longingly. "And if we all just show back up through some crazy ass portal, there's going to be a whole  _lot_  of publicity." He said, as Taylor shook his head in denial, his eyes stinging as he frantically tried to calm his racing heart. Every beat gave rise to a different emotion. Hope; to be able to remain by the pilots side. Fear; that the pilot wouldn't leave,  _and,_  fear that he would.

"The rest of you get to go home to your families, to your lives. I get to go straight to a cold, hard cell." Jake reasoned, brushing Taylors sweat slicked hair from his brow affectionately.

"So  _what,_  then?" Taylor demanded, bear hysterical at the thought of Jake remaining in Rourke's grasp.  _"What_  are you gonna do?"

"I'm gonna stay behind after you all go through." Jake said slowly, shushing him gently when he began to shake his head frantically. "And  _then,_  I'm going to open my own portal... to somewhere Lundgren will never find me." He said, shrugging disinterestedly. "Santiago, maybe. Madagascar. The Maldives. Somewhere with warm beaches, and cold bears... and no super soldier squad hunting me down."

"But..." Taylor choked, rolling away from Jake and sitting as far from the pilot as he could, his back to the other man, as he buried his face in his hands.

"I don't  _wanna_  do this, Boy Scout." Jake said imploringly, as Taylor heard him sit up behind him, his warm hand settling on his shoulder. "But, it's my only choice. I don't have a future anywhere else."

Taylor felt his heart race so fast, he thought it might have actually stopped without his noticing. He shook his head fiercely, turning his face towards the stars above them as he thought back to his conversation with Varyyn. "No." He said firmly, as he tried to push aside his near hysteria and focus on what he wanted to say. "It's not." He said quietly, closing his eyes a moment as he tried to gather his nerve. He took a deep breath, and wrapped his arms around his legs, unable to turn and meet the pilots gaze. "Jake, I... I don't know if I can leave." He said, his breath exploding from him in a huge gasp of relief, as the words finally left him.

"C'mon, Taylor, don't do this to me..." Jake groaned, his hand falling from Taylors shoulder with a sigh of irritation. "Look, you said it yourself, we can't stay here! And besides, you got a life to go back to... Don't throw that away just 'caus-"

"You think I'd do that?" Taylor asked quietly, his shoulders tense as he sat stiffly in his corner of the tent. "You think I'd what? _Emotionally blackmail you_  into something?" He asked, a spiteful spark flaring in his tone.

"What,  _no-"_

"That's kinda how it sounds, Jake." He said, shaking his head as he wiped at tears of frustration. He took a deep breath and turned, leaning against a bracer as he glared at Jake coldly. "I... May not have the best track record, when it comes to getting you to do what I ask... But, I've never once toyed with you like  _that."_  He spat, as Jake rubbed at his stubble in awkward shame.

"I guess..." Jake huffed, clearing his throat as he glanced away briefly. "I might've worded it slightly...  _wrong."_  He said, sighing as he tentatively scooted closer, and reached for Taylors hand. "I just, I don't want you to waste your life; for a nobody like me..." He said cautiously.

Taylors frustration melted, understanding the pilot only too well. He squeezed Jake's hands, and met his gaze determinedly. "Please, just  _listen."_  He said quietly, lowering his head to think a moment, before sucking in another deep breath and beginning anew. "When everyone first started talking about leaving, before we even knew about what happened to your plane... I had the feeling that I couldn't leave. Not just, I was too scared...  _Physically;_  couldn't leave La Huerta." He explained, flinching when Jake's hands jerked within his own, the pilots eyes widening in shock. "When we were at the marina-"

"You didn't wanna get on the boat..." Jake recalled, his eyes narrowing as he thought back to the long ago day. "But you did, because-"

"Because you were on it, yes. Now stop getting big headed and let me finish." He said, relieved the pilot was still able to tease him. "When we first saw Cetus, I thought that was what had been bothering me... I thought that somehow, these memories I have of our time here, were telling me about Cetus protecting the island." He explained, his breath's coming in shaky rasps, as he traced small patterns on the back of the pilots hands with his thumbs. "When leaving next came up... I thought I would be okay, but, this...  _sickness,_  was back. And, after time I just... Kinda came to accept it. I,  _can't_  leave La Huerta." He said, swallowing heavily as Jake flinched, his hands pulling free of Taylors, as he scrubbed them across his jaw. "I'm  _sorry._  I didn't know how to tell to you-"

"No, you never do, do you?" Jake snorted, shaking his head as he peered at the side of the tent with narrowed eyes. Taylor felt the sting of the words like a blow to the chest, and he lowered his gaze to his bare lap, suddenly self-conscious in the confined space. He was just about to reach for something to cover himself with, when Jake sighed and reached for him, scooting closer as he pulled Taylor against him. "I'm sorry, that was... outta line. It's just..." The pilot huffed, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "Honestly, you scare the shit outta me on a regular basis." The pilot snorted, drawing a tentative chuckle from Taylor, as he peeked up at the pilot and leaned into his embrace. "You can't keep  _doin'_  this, Taylor. I can't help, if ya don't tell me what's going on in that... insanely hot, insanely crazy head of yours." He said with obvious frustration, as Taylor bit his lip guiltily.

"It just... Never seemed like the right time?" He hedged weakly, ducking his head when Jake scowled down at him. "I  _know,_  you all have to leave... You  _can't_  stay here, because Rourke will never stop. If you're  _there,_  and you're  _together;_  you're safe. He  _can't_  touch you, not with the whole world watching..." He tried to explain, before shaking his head in frustration. "There was no point telling you all, that I couldn't come with you... So, I resolved to get you there. Make sure you were safe at least, and then figure everything else out after that..."

Jake was silent for so long, Taylor almost thought he'd fallen asleep, until the pilot sighed tiredly. "Well... Then I'll  _stay."_  He said firmly, as Taylor drew back, meeting his gaze sadly as he shook his head. "It's not like I got anything to go back to, and we can help each other stay outta Arachnids-"

 _"Jake."_  Taylor said firmly, shaking his head slowly. "You can't stay here... I've seen what they did, or, will do to you. I  _won't_  let that happen." He said quietly, squeezing Jake's hands imploringly. "You have to go back with the others." He said firmly, sniffing away the tears which threatened to fall. "You can't let Lundgren win..." He whispered, as Jake's face twisted with reluctance.

"I'm on the run, and he's got an army." Jake said sourly, though his worried gaze remained locked onto Taylor. "I'd say he's already won. Besides-"

"Come on, Jake." Taylor huffed, refusing to let Jake divert the subject. "I know you better than that." He said coyly, attempting to smile but knowing the expression was likely twisted beyond recognition. "You  _never_  back down, and you  _never_  let the bad guy win." He said, his expression darkening as he met the pilots eyes seriously. "He  _killed_  Mike." He said, pretending he didn't notice the sharp twist of both guilt and jealousy in his gut. "And, God knows how many  _other_  people... He has to be held accountable for his actions. He has to be  _stopped._  And you..." Taylor said, smiling broadly as he swept his knuckles across Jake's cheek affectionately.  _"You're_  the man to do it."

"And just how the  _hell_  am I supposed to do that?" Jake demanded, his brow creasing in frustration, as Taylor successfully invested him in the distracting argument.

"You go back with the others. Testify. Tell the world your story." Taylor said, injecting as much enthusiasm as he could, with his heart sinking in his chest. "Expose Lundgren for the disgusting, rotten, traitor that he is, and make him  _pay_  for what he did!"

Jake huffed, shaking his head despondently as he averted his gaze. "Wish it were that simple..." The pilot grumbled.

"Why not?" Taylor demanded, frustration nipping at him once more at the pilots stubbornness.

"Because..." Jake sighed, burying a hand in his hair as he swallowed heavily and stared at the floor. "Because, it's not just about Lundgren." He admitted through clenched teeth, as Taylor frowned at him, his fingers carding through the pilots hair to try and encourage him to look up and meet his gaze.

"What do you mean..?" Taylor asked hesitantly, growing nervous as Jake leaned back and closed his eyes, drawing in a heavy breath.

"If i go back to the States... I have to face everyone again." He said quietly, his eyes slowly opening to look up at the stars vacantly. "I have to face Mike's parents..." He said, unconsciously tilting his head to kiss Taylors brow reassuringly, soothing the sting of jealousy that had made him flinch.

"Jake..." Taylor sighed, leaning his head onto the pilots shoulder, as he watched the other mans chest rise and fall steadily.

"I didn't kill Mike... But I promised them I'd keep him safe. Promised I'd bring their boy home." He explained quietly, burying his face in Taylors damp hair. "He died, on  _my_  watch. He died, because of  _me._  And I can't... I  _can't..."_  A tear streaked down his cheek, and Taylor turned into the pilots arms, holding him tight as his heart twisted in discomfort.

"I know it's not easy, Jake... I  _know_  you carry a lot of guilt." He murmured into the pilots ear, squeezing him gently. "But you  _got_  this." He said, pressing a determined kiss to the pilots forehead, before drawing back. Jake stared at him, their eyes gazing into each others, when Jake's suddenly gained a steely, determined gleam.

 _"We_  got it." He said firmly, as Taylor blinked in surprise. "Don't look at me like that, I ain't that easily distracted." The pilot snorted, his gaze calculating as he narrowed his eyes at Taylor thoughtfully. "That's the deal... I'll  _do_  it. I'll go to the States. I'll testify, and face everyone;  _all_  that shit. If  _you_  come with me."

"But, Jake I already told you-" Taylor began brokenly, only for Jake to press a finger to his lips.

"You said; you didn't  _think,_  you could leave." Jake said quietly, tipping his head and clicking his tongue. "That ain't a definite  _no..._  You come with us tomorrow, and we  _try._  If you can go, we'll go with the Brady Bunch and I'll be a goddamn hero." He said, as Taylor bit his lip, his heart fluttering wildly with incredulity at the pilots stubborn intention to remain solely by his side, sparking an ember of hope within him.

"And if I can't..?" He asked, his fingers digging into the pilots shoulders in mingled concern and elation.

"... I ain't leavin' without ya, Boy Scout." Jake said firmly, as Taylor dissolved into sobs and hiccups of laughter. The pilot drew Taylor closer, wiping his damp cheeks gently, before Taylor launched into him with a fierce kiss, knocking him to his back. "Oof!" He huffed, only for Taylor to press another insistent kiss to his lips, hoping to convey his relief, gratitude and devotion.

"You're an idiot." Taylor muttered, amid brief gasps for breath. "You're such a stubborn idiot!" He choked, his heart racing with fierce affection as he finally drew back, nearly vibrating with restless energy, his jumbled emotions running through him in all directions.

Jake stroked his shoulder absently, before slowly tensing, his breath quickening as he seemed to struggle against something. "Ah, to hell with it." He said suddenly, rolling over Taylor and kissing him with a passionate urgency similar to Taylors own moments before. The pilot drew back to meet his gaze intently, his heart crashing against Taylors fiercely. "I love you, Taylor." He said, eliciting a hysterical bubble of laughter from Taylor, as he stared up at Jake with wide eyes. His heart seemed to stop, his breath refusing to come as he choked on the thick swell of relief and devotion he felt. "I was scared to admit it... that I had such a cripplin' weakness. But, you made me realize, Boy Scout; ya ain't a weakness... and now, I ain't scared anymore, of anything; but losin' you."

"I love you too," he said, his eyes swimming with tears of relief, as he pressed his forehead to Jake's. "Jacob... Lucas... McKenzie..." He whispered between hiccupped sobs of joy, his lips curving into a huge smile as Jake beamed down at him ecstatically. "There is nothing, in this world or the next, we can't face  _together..."_  He said firmly, believing the words as they fell from his lips, moments before they were claimed in a searing kiss by his pilot. He arched beneath Jake, his heart flooded with affection, relief and hope combined. "Jake..." He murmured urgently, as Jake began to kiss his throat hungrily. "Tell me again." He pleaded, as Jake chuckled against his skin.

"You're demandin'." He huffed, his stubble tickling taylors shoulder and causing him to shiver in excitement.

"Please," Taylor pleaded, kissing whatever part of his pilot he could set his lips upon.  _"Please..."_  Taylor continued to plead shamelessly, having desired the confirmation for so long, he ceased to care about anything but hearing the words as much as he could. Eventually, Jake relented, telling him again, and again, and again. By the time he was finally finished telling him, they were both exhausted, and slipped into a deep sleep without effort, to brace for the day ahead.

The following morning was a blur of activity, the others waking before then to begin dismantling the camp, hiding the tents in the abandoned humvee so they wouldn't be spotted during the attempt to infiltrate The  **MASADA**  Complex. They threw their clothes on with groggy movements, Taylor choosing to don his thrillseeker gear for maneuverability. Once he was dressed, he gave Jake a brief but tender kiss to his cheek, before hurrying off to grab some breakfast.

His heart ached with his overflowing affection, and he fought to keep the grin from his face as he recalled the pilots words, both softly spoken and firmly growled throughout the night. He met Diego by the few played of food remaining, and grunted a brief greeting, as he grabbed a bagel and stuffed it into his mouth. He raised a brow when his friend gave no reaction other than to glare, eyeing his stiff posture curiously. "I said tell  _him."_  Diego snarked, his eyes sparking with amusement despite his best effort, as Taylor sniggered and grinned widely around his mouthful of bagel.  _"Not,_  tell everyone.  _Or,_  all night."

"Hmm." Taylor hummed, utterly unashamed as he rubbed his ass and winked. He sniggered at Diego's feigned disgust, and was about to cram the remainder of his bagel into his mouth, when he saw Aleister across the camp. He was struck by the sudden and powerful need to speak with the pale boy, and with a brief pat of Diego's shoulder, he darted over to the pale boy. "Aleister," he rasped upon reaching him, patting his chest to spur the remainder of his rushed breakfast through his throat.

 _"Ahem,_  Aleister, good morning." He tried again, flushing faintly when the pale boy raised an unimpressed brow at him. "Look, I won't keep you long but... Just, I wanted to ask you something." He said, glancing around nervously. "It uh, it's kinda private, though..."

"Privacy, hmm, I thought perhaps you were unaware of the term." Aleister sneered, his lips curving into a proud smirk, as Taylor choked and scratched the back of his neck guiltily. "What does this concern, exactly?" He asked, stubbornly planting his feet, as Taylor stepped towards the trees.

"Uh, its... Well, its about today." Taylor hedged, backing away toward the trees as he glanced around the group nervously. Aleister raised a delicate brow at his cryptic and shifty behaviour, before giving into his curiosity and following Taylor a short distance away. "Okay... So," Taylor began, rubbing his hands together as he looked up at Aleister. "You're probably aware that this plan is nuts-"

"I believe I voiced my opinion on the matter well yesterday." He said, folding his arms over his chest impatiently. "What exactly do you  _want,_  Taylor. I was in the middle of repacking my bag." He drawled, rolling his eyes as Taylor took a deep breath to stabilize his nerves.

"Okay... Well," Taylor began again, meeting Aleister's confused gaze with his own clear one. "You're aware, that once we're in there... Once Rourke knows what we're doing; he's going to make a beeline. For  _you."_  Taylor finally said, as Aleister's expression hardened to a furious glare.

"You needn't concern yourself, Taylor!" Aleister growled scathingly, as Taylor tried to shush him, looking worriedly around in case someone had heard them. "I assure you, I am quite capable of refusing my father!"

"No, Aleister, that isn't what I meant!" Taylor said, waving his hands frantically to silence him. "Please, Aleister, just  _listen;_  I promise, it's  _not_  what you think!" He assured, as Aleister glared at him, but noticeably remained still. "Okay, new tactic. Uh," Taylor hedged, thinking quickly. "Okay, okay... So, how would you like to play a game with your father?"

"Taylor, we do not have time for this utter rubbish," Aleister sighed, turning away with a disparaging shake of his head. "Really, if you must play games, stick to your-"

"I was thinking, 'The Better Rourke?'" Taylor said quickly, causing Aleister to look back in confusion. "Look, you said yourself... This plan is sketchy. I thought, it might make sense to have a few... Back ups, in place." He said, biting his lip, as Aleister glanced around the group, before turning back to Taylor.

"I'm not going to like this, am I?" The pale boy guessed, his eyes narrowing in suspicion, when Taylor shrugged his shoulders vaguely.

"Well, you can always refuse to do it." Taylor suggested, spreading his palms to the pale boy. "I'm not going to lie, it could cost you... More than you're willing to risk." He said, his eyes falling on Grace, as she helped the others pack up the camp cheerfully. "But, uh... Basically, the idea is; you let him think he wins." Taylor hedged, raising his palms in placation quickly.  _"But,_  it's only a back up plan. If things go totally tits up; I mean, if things go the way they're supposed to, then-"

"Taylor, do cease your prattling, you sound like an utter  _imbecile."_  Aleister sighed, his eyes locked onto Grace thoughtfully. "I am assuming you wish this deception to work both ways..." He said stiffly, glancing over at him, as he shifted guiltily. "I  _see."_  He said knowingly, looking back at Grace.

"This might not even be necessary," Taylor said quickly. "I'm just covering bases... being over protective, whatever you wanna call it. I just..."

"Honestly, Taylor, I am not some simpleton." Aleister said, scowling over at him. "I am perfectly aware of the merits of emergency plans." The pale boy sneered, turning and walking away to grab his bag. "As for this one, well, it is as you say; odds are, it will not even be necessary." Aleister said dismissively.

Taylor waited a moment in awkward silence, before turning and walking away in confused silence, uncertain if his conversation with the pale boy had been a success or a failure. After walking across the camp, he pushed all thoughts of it from his mind, joining his friends, as they got ready to enact the daring plan. "Alright, people, let's do this." Sean called, rolling his shoulders gently. "Everybody remember the drill?"

"I can't speak for the  _rest_  of us," Michelle said, scowling at the athlete pointedly. "But its not like I have the memory of a goldfish... Four of us wear the stolen Arachnid suits; the rest of us pretend to be their prisoners, until we get inside."

"But who will wear the suits?" Aleister asked thoughtfully, gesturing towards Jake. "I presume Jake should, as our resident action hero."

"I'll take the compliment Malfoy," Jake sniggered, his chest puffing out proudly, as he winked over at the pale boy. "But, I gotta be a prisoner."

"Whoa, whoa,  _whoa..._  What the hell is this?" Taylor demanded, his heart crashing back into reality with a bump. Jake sighed and ran his hand through his hair awkwardly.

"If Lundgren doesn't see me, he'll get suspicious." Jake explained reluctantly, sidling up to Taylor and taking his hand gently. "If I'm in custody, he'll be too happy to notice anything's off." He said, his clear eyes filled with infallible certainty.

Taylor scowled in reply, averting his eyes with a huff a Jake sighed and squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I have a great and sudden dislike for this plan." He muttered petulantly.

"Boy Scout," Jake murmured, leaning closer with an amused smirk. "It's  _your_  plan..." He sniggered, meeting Taylor's gaze with a cocky wink.

"Great, now I'm sympathizing with you for all my old plans..." Taylor groused, as he reluctantly turned toward Sean.

"Good point." The athlete said, and Taylor saw Jake grin widely in response when he glanced up at him. "I'll take one then."

"I got your back, Number Five." Craig said, slapping his friend on the back. "Let's suit up."

"Oh great," Zahra snorted, watching the pair grab a set of armour each. "Our lives are in the hands of the brain trust." She said, scowling as she stepped forward. "Gimme one of those stupid suits. You'll need me to help deactivate security anyway."

"That's three." Estela said, clicking her tongue thoughtfully, as Zahra disappeared into the trees to change. "We've got one more." She said, as Sean picked up a helmet and handed it to Taylor.

 _"Me?!"_  Taylor choked, glancing around with wide eyes. "What about-"

"I think, judging from Rourke's file on me, he'd only be suspicious if I wasn't there." Estela said, anticipating his protestation.

"This whole thing, was  _your_  idea." Sean said warmly, beaming a wide grin as Taylor reluctantly accepted the helmet. "If  _anyone_  can come up with a plan to get us out of custody, it's  _you."_  The athlete said, as Taylor groaned and stomped off to change in the trees. He striped down, stuffing his clothes into his bag as he went, before pausing.

 _I-_  He cut the thought off, remembering Jake's consolation. It was us or them. I can't allow myself to get distracted by guilt now... He thought firmly, as he pulled the armour on quickly, and returned to the others. "Not to brag or anything," he said as he approached, grinning when Jake did a double take. "But I look  _badass!"_

"Ya know, suddenly I got new respect for these crappy getups'..." Jake muttered as he leaned close, making Taylor snort with amusement, as he swatted the pilots shoulder and pushed him away with a smirk.

"Hell yeah, you do!" Craig cheered, offering him his fist to bump. "You make that look good!"

"Come on, Craig." Taylor scoffed, winking at Jake conspiratorially. "You know I make  _everything_  look good."

"Preachin' to the choir, bro." The jock sniggered, holding up his own set. "My turn!" He said, darting away to change eagerly. Taylor took a nervous breath as he fiddled with his new armour, awaiting the others to return.

"Okay," Sean said, reappearing in his disguise, sans his mask. "This'll do." He said, as Craig cane charging out the trees behind him excitedly.

"We look dope!" He cheered, looking down at himself like a gleeful child. "Aw yeah, I'm ready to kick some ass!" He said, pumping his fist in the air.

"This isn't the tome for a selfie." Zahra snarked, as she stomped out of the trees irritably. "We've got work to do."

"Hey, Zahra..." Diego sniggered, grinning broadly at the scowling girl. "Aren't you a little short for a storm trooper?"

Zahra considered him for a moment, before she snorted, and broke out in a wide grin. "Don't make me pistol whip you." She sniggered, bumping his shoulder playfully, as they headed over to the gondola platform, and pressed the call button. As a precaution, the four of then slipped their masks on, uncertain if Rourke had surveillance directed to the area.

The empty gondola motored along the cables toward them slowly, and Taylor felt a rush of nervous energy as their plans came to fruition. "Okay " he said, his voice distorted by his mask to sound almost mechanical, trying to distract himself from the restlessness building within him. "We need to get our stories straight first."

"Right." Sean said, nodding thoughtfully, as he gestured around the four of them. "Like, what happened to the  _real_  us?"

"We  _died."_  Zahra replied instantly, standing rigid as she waited for the gondola. "We drowned in the ice lake, during the attack."

"That's dark, dude." Craig gasped, shuddering at the thought of any of them having fallen to the raid.

"Why didn't you report in?" Jake asked quietly, handing each of them a gun they'd stolen from the four soldiers Taylor had driven the humvee into.

"Hmm..." Taylor hummed, his heart racing as he looked down at the gun in his hand, reluctantly tightening his losse hold. "Maybe, water damage to our radios?"

"But, what about how we caught the rest of the group?" Sean asked, his posture hinting at his heavy concern.

"You should say you caught us searching for medical supplies." Estela said simply, as Taylor nodded his nervous agreement.

"Hm, clever idea, Estela." Aleister praised, acknowledging the girl with a tip of his head. "Sometimes the best lie, is the truth." He said quietly, his eyes narrowing in thought.

"Oh,  _look!"_  Quinn cried, as Taylor turned to look at him. "Each of you has an I.D. number on the back of your helmet!"

"Each soldier goes only by a serial number." Jake explained, walking up beside Taylor and squeezing his hand through the thick armour. "The call signs are for elite fighters only." He added smugly, as Taylor snorted and rolled his eyes, though nobody could see him.

"We'd better remember these in case we're asked!" Taylor said, turning to show the pilot his helmet. "What's mine, Top Gun?"

"Yours is..." Jake said, hesitating as he brushed his fingers over the numbers, clearing away some dirt which obscured them. "Three-one-seven-two." He said, before stepping back, as the gondola finally arrived; it's door sliding open ominously.

"Alright, we've got our plan." Sean said, jerking his head toward the gondola as a hostile soldier might have. "We're as good as we're gonna get. Let's go." As everyone filed aboard, Taylor caught sight of Furball, sitting alone in the precipice and watching them sadly. He stepped back, and opened his arms to the little fox.

"Aw, come here..." He said, as the small blue creature leaped into his arms and began to lick his face frantically. "I'm gonna miss you too, buddy..." He said affectionately, rubbing the small animals ears gently. "Thank you, Furball... For  _everything._  Hopefully, this will be the end for you too..." He whispered, sniffing as his throat became thick with emotion. "Take care of our friends, back in Elyys'tel, okay? Especially Taari, and Seraxa... And Varyyn." He snorted and hubg his head, sure he could continue listing names for an age, but realising it would only be delaying the inevitable. With a sigh, he let Furball down, and stepped onto the gondola, looking over his shoulder as he went to see Furball's ears droop sadly.

He forced his gaze forward, seeing his friends grouped together on one side, opposite the four of them in stolen gear.  _"Whoaaa..."_  He gasped, as he noticed the entirely glass hull, and floor. His heart stuttered, and he gulped heavily upon seeing the crashing waves, thousands of feet below them.

"Don't look down, don't look down,  _don't look down._.." Grace chanted, burying her face in Aleister's shirt so she wouldn't have to see the view for herself.

"Here we go." Craig said, huffing a nervous sigh of his own as he glanced around his friends. "Everybody ready?"

Taylor surveyed his friends, his heart aching at their determined yet scared expressions, and he wondered if he was doing the right thing by pushing them to leave. "Last chance to turn back." He said without thinking, his heart racing as nobody moved. Each one of his friends looked back at him resolutely, determined and ready.

"You kiddin', Boy Scout?" Jake finally snorted, running a hand through his hair, as he flashed a huge and confident grin at him. "The last chance to turn back, was on that runway in Costa Rica." He huffed, winking cockily as he sucked in a deep, steadying breath.

"We're right behind you." Quinn said quietly, reaching over to squeeze his shoulder, before retreating into the crowd of other prisoners.

"Okay..." Taylor sighed, double checking his helmet along with the other disguised soldiers, before forcing a grin to his face that his friends couldn't see. "I expect some serious displays of acting skills, guys." He said, as he stepped over to a holographic display, flickering on a glass wall. "Here we go." He muttered, reaching out to tap a button labelled **'Resume Transit'.**

The gondola rocked, as it started to reel its way towards  **MASADA.**   _"Whoa!"_  Craig gasped, wobbling briefly before regaining his balance.

Taylor looked down through the glass floor, watching the roiling sea far below and finding it eerily similar to how his gut churned nervously. "This view would be awesome..." Raj muttered, breaking Taylor out of his musings, as he turned toward the large boy. "If we weren't heading into a secret paramilitary compound filled with people who wanna kill us..." He said, before shaking off his rejection and breaking out in a wide grin. "Never mind, it's  _still_  awesome." He said cheerfully.

"Remember, you're  _prisoners."_  Zahra scolded, jerking her head towards  **MASADA**  as if giving an order or reprimand. "Don't forget to act  _scared."_

"I  _an_  scared!" Grace rebuffed, her voice muffled by Aleister's chest,as she peeked up at Zahra's disguise.

"That's perfect." Zahra said, snorting in amusement. They were almost halfway across, when the gondola suddenly jerked to a stop.

Taylor reached forward to press the display, which blinked red in response to his touch. "We're stuck." He said quietly, stepping back and affecting what he hoped was a wary, guard like stance and gesturing for the others to do the same; sensing the approaching showdown.

 _"Stuck?!"_  Aleister choked, glancing down through the glass floor, as Grace gripped his shirt tighter and hid her face. "This is  _not_  a good place to be stuck!"

"Yeah," Jake growled, scowling through the glass hull hatefully, as a sudden roar of a rotor startled them all, though Taylor and the other disguised Arachnids managed to hide their reactions. "And it just got  _worse."_  He sneered, glancing at Taylor as the gondola rocked in a blast of wind.

Taylor swallowed his fears down, as he turned to see a black military chopper, rising up on their flank, it's massive missile arrays pointed straight at them.  _"Ohhhh,_  crap..." Craig groaned, only for Zahra to stomp on his foot discreetly.

"Suck it up, Craiggers." She ordered, as Taylor gazed through the choppers tinted windows with a frown nobody could see, staring at the one Lundgren called 'Mouse' in the pilot seat.

Suddenly, a hologram appeared on the gondola's glass wall, and Fiddler's smug face grinned down at Jake gleefully. "If it isn't the Big Bad Wolf..." She drawled, as Jake grit his teeth and glared at her. "Nice to see you again so soon. Did you miss me?"

"Don't flatter yourself, Fiddler." Jake snarled, his hands balling into tight fists at his side. Taylor desperately wanted to comfort his pilot, but he remained stoically in place; an obedient soldier awaiting its orders.

"Aw, little Wolf..." Fiddler faux gasped, her smirk revealing her malicious joy. "Where's your new plaything? You remember; the one with the pretty little mouth on him?"

"You shut the hell up," Jake snarled, the others not having to feign their concerns as they held him back from the hologram. "You filthy, lying-"

"You're in Mouse's crosshairs now, so play nice, sweetie..." Fiddler warned, cutting off Jake's snarls with a twisted grin, causing Taylors gaze to return the red armoured soldier, his gut clenching in discomfort. "Or I'll have him answer your next quip, with a heat seeking retort." She said, and Jake made an obvious effort to clamp his jaw shut, falling silent, though he continued to glare at her viciously. Fiddler smirked, before turning her attention to Taylor, eyeing him from MASADA's high tech control center. "Well, this is certainly a surprise; if a pleasant one... We got no report of your capture." She mused, before straightening and barking at Taylor. "Private, care to explain the situation?" She demanded.

Taylor immediately saluted the other screen, taking a deep breath as he looked directly at Fiddler's hologram. "Yes, ma'am." He said quickly, ignoring his stomachs fervent twisting, filled nerves and the building sense of foreboding. "We captured the targets at the lake."

"We lost our comms in the battle." Zahra tagged on the end of his reply, saluting the screen herself briefly.

"Sorry 'bout that." Craig said, only for Zahra to elbow him discreetly.  _"Kff!_  I mean, apologies, ma'am."

"What happened to your comms?" Fiddler demanded, scowling at them suspiciously. "You were dark for fourteen hours."

"They were damaged by water." Taylor reported slowly, trying to make it appear he was reluctant. He ducked his head quickly, as if ashamed of the confession.

"You've been warned about keeping that equipment dry!" Fiddler scolded, glaring around the four of them furiously, as they each made themselves appear contrite.

"Sorry, ma'am." Sean said, chopping a quick salute. "It won't happen again. He promised, as Fiddler eyed Taylor through the screen thoughtfully.

"You there." She barked, folding her arms over her chest superiorly. "Identity yourself, Private." She ordered, raising a brow expectantly.

"This is Serial Number; Three-One-Seven-Two." He rattled off quickly, pleased nobody could see his expression, as he smirked smugly.

"Yes, I see you haven't forgotten your own I.D." Fiddler hummed reluctantly, sighing as she waved her hand dismissively. "At least part of your brain still works." She said, pausing as she ran her eyes over the rest of the group. "I count nine prisoners. What happened to the other four?"

"Dead, ma'am." Sean said quickly, tipping his head as if reluctant to admit to the information.

"They drowned." Taylor followed up with, shrugging his shoulders as if he were only minorly bothered by the fact.

"The ice broke up in the battle." Craig concluded, shaking his head as if ashamed to admit it. "They went under."

"That's too bad." Fiddler hummed, though she smirked at Jake, as he seemed to struggle to keep himself seated. "Our client will be disappointed." She sighed, shaking her head in irritation. She looked back at Taylor, seeming smug as she reached up to touch the handle of one of her katanas. "Okay then; how did the four of you, manage to capture so many of the targets, without any backup?" She asked, seeming certain she had caught them by surprise with the question. "They've been quite uncooperative so far..."

"We caught them searching for medical supplies." Taylor said, gesturing to a small first aid kit poking out if Michelle's bag.

"Yes." Zahra added, gesturing to the generally dishevelled state of the group. "Some of them were injured in the battle."

"Only logical that they'd search for aid." Fiddler agreed, stroking her chin thoughtfully. "Very well." She said suddenly, and the helicopter covered slightly closer. "Well, one thing is clear..." Fiddler said ominously, as Taylor gripped his gun tighter, his heart racing as the woman broke out in a maniacal grin. "You've earned yourselves a promotion." She said smugly, and Taylor instantly felt the tension in the gondola release; his shoulders relaxing.

"Thank you ma'am." He said, his relief palpable in his tone and in the gondola around him. "We hope we did you proud."

"Mouse," Fiddler barked, smirking at Jake with malicious glee. "Escort them in."

 _"Yes."_  Mouse replied emotionlessly, and Taylor felt himself shiver, his heart seeming to turn to ice in his chest. The comms display blinked out, and the gondola rocked to life once more.

 _"Whew..."_  Aleister sighed, as Taylor swallowed and felt nausea and panic claw at the back of his throat. He took several steps away from the others, careful to make his movements seem deliberate rather than the woozy actions of someone about to puke or feint.

"Taylor..?" Jake called worriedly, though he made no move to approach him, despite his obvious desire to.

"I'm okay, just... Freaking out. Stay still. We'll be in soon." He said quickly, taking a few deep breaths to steady himself.

"Yes, you seem to have fooled them." Varyyn said, beaming over at him, as he finally began to calm his churning stomach.

"Way to get us through!" Quinn cheered, giggling as they moved slowly closet to the Complex.

"Thanks," Taylor huffed, shaking his head roughly, as if denying her something. "But don't forget; we're just getting started..." He warned. He stared up at  **MASADA's**  massive tower, the rest of the group following his gaze. As they drew close, it blotted out the sun, and they fell into shadows.

"Here comes the welcoming party." Jake murmured, drawing Taylors attention to where a dozen Arachnid troops were waiting for them at the landing platform. Finally, the gondola came to a stop, and the glass doors slide open silently. "You gotta sell that we're your captives." Jake whispered quickly, as Taylor walked towards him. "Don't be afraid to get rough, Boy Scout." He said, as Taylor leaned close to his shoulder, appearing ne acing as he both gilave and took comfort for a brief moment.

"I never am." He whispered, knowing Jake understood his lewd meaning when the pilots lips twitched with amusement. Before any of the troops could see the motion, he shoved Jake hard toward the exit, clamping down on his aching heart tightly and promising he would make it up to the pilot once they were safe.

Taylor, Sean, Craig and Zahra forced their prisoners out to the waiting troops, ignoring protests and snarls alike. From the landing pad, the soldiers escorted them into a sleek, futuristic laboratory.

"Ah, at  _last..."_  An ecstatic voice called, and Taylor felt his lip curl into a snarl at the very sound of the mans approach. "The gang's all here." The Arachnid troops made way, and Everett Rourke walked through. "Welcome, my honoured guests." He said, his arms spread gleefully towards them all. "The moment of truth is finally at hand..." He sighed, a smug grin spreading across his face, as he drew in a deep breath, and anticipated his imminent victory.


	15. All We Have Is Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh. My. Gosh.
> 
> I didnt expect this to be ready tonight. I am very pleased it is... and its suddenly dawned on me how close we are to the end!
> 
> Im not gona lie, this took an unexpected twist; even to me... so if ya find yaself lost... so am i XD
> 
> Honestly tho, im a lot happier with this chapter than i was the last. Now i just... have to try and make it all fit together :p
> 
> Thabkypu all so much for reading and commenting; there arent words for what it means. So thankypu will have to suffice for bow...
> 
> x My love to you all x

_**Dear Jake;** _

_..._

_..... There aren't words._

_Seeing you die... Was the worst thing I ever had to witness. This was only the second time, but holy shit, it still hurt just as much as the first; and every time that came after._

**15.**

**All We Have Is Now**.

Taylors heart crashed within his chest painfully, as he escorted his friends through Rourke's MASADA facility, while concealed within an Arachnid suit. A dozen heavily armed operatives, stood at attention in the lab he'd been instructed to enter. Taylors fingers clutched at his weapon tightly, as they parted to reveal the infuriatingly gleeful face, of Everett Rourke. "Welcome, my  _honoured_  guests." He said, his arms spread gleefully towards them all. "The moment of truth is  _finally_  at hand..." He sighed, a smug grin spreading across his face, as he drew in a deep breath, and anticipated his imminent victory.

"That's rich." Aleister snorted, rolling his eyes derisively. "As if you could refrain from lying for a single breath." He drawled, glaring up at his father in abject disgust.

"He won't have a breath to draw, after I get near him." Estela snarled, her hands curled into tight fists at her sides, as she scowled at Rourke hatefully.

Taylor noticed someone in a yellow shirt at the back of the group of operatives, and his heart clenched painfully as he looked over.  _Oh Lila..._  He thought sadly, barely refraining from shaking his head or sighing in dejection, as he looked over at the badly beaten girl. _I wish things were different, and you were coming with us... Despite everything, I can't believe that you're truly this blind_... He thought briefly, before noticing that Estela had spotted the assassin. She made ready to lunge forward, but Sean and Craig held her back.

"You're not goin' anywhere, Montoya!" Sean spat furiously, shaking Estela discreetly in the hopes of calming her.

"... Neither is  _she."_  Estela snarled, ignoring Sean's attempts to calm her as she thrashed against his and Craig's hold on her. 

Taylor was about to help, when he noticed Rourke walking towards him, as if in slow motion. His fingers inched toward the trigger of his gun, his heart hammering in his chest, as he grit his teeth together _. I could shoot him right now... End it all_... He thought desperately, his ears rushing with the sound of his own blood in his ears.  _But..._  He thought suddenly, his eyes slipping to where Jake was subtly shaking his head, though his gaze was fixed on Rourke.  _If I do that now, everyone is screwed_. He reminded himself, his finger moving away from the trigger, as time slipped back into place.

"But, I'd be remiss if I didn't thank the hero of the hour..." The smug man said, beaming a cheesy and lopsided grin at Taylor, which only made him wish all the harder that he had shot him. "What's your callsign, Private?" He asked, reaching out to shake Taylors hand.

"Three-One-Seven-Two." Taylor bit out, pointedly ignoring the mans offered hand.

"A serial number?" Rourke asked, surprise colouring his tone as he left his hand out for Taylor to shake still.

"We identify ourselves by number only." Taylor said stiffly, leaning away from Rourke as he straightened his posture. "Our mission is more important than personal glory."

"Ah, of course." Rourke exclaimed cheerily, dropping his hand to clasp his jacket lapels smugly. "Excellent work, Three-One-Seven-Two." He said, winking at him as he smirked proudly. "I'll make sure your superior officer is notified."

"That won't be necessary, sir." Taylor bit out, grimacing within his helmet, when Jake pointedly cut a glare in his direction. "It's enough that the client is pleased." He added stiffly, tipping his head in reluctant submission to the man.

"What's good for the client; is good for us." Sean said easily, distracting everyone from Taylors awkwardness.

"Yup." Craig added glibly, as he pushed Estela into the others, who all tried to restrain the furious girl. "Glad to be of service and stuff."

Rourke nodded thoughtfully, as he turned towards their captured friends. "Can we get the hell on with this?" Jake demanded, glaring at Rourke spitefully. Taylor felt his body yearning to comfort to the pilot, but he forced himself to remain locked in place.

"W-what are you planning to do with us?" Grace asked,her fingers tapping together nervously, as Aleister wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"Firstly," Rourke hummed, eyeing them thoughtfully. "There's the matter of why you've come this far north..." He said leadingly, spreading his palms questioningly.

Taylor cut his eyes discreetly to Lila, his heart skipping a beat, hoping the assassin had not informed her master of their intent. "You know why I'm here, you bastard." Estela growled, struggling against the groups restraining hold as she glared at Rourke hatefully.

"That I do, indeed..." Rourke said, his eerie calm visibly upsetting everyone, as his gaze passed from one face to the next with laser like precision. "Lila told me of your aim. The Lernaean Gate." He said, and Taylors heart sank, his hope for Lila's loyalty fading. "Very resourceful of you, to discover it's existence." The smug man said, his lips curving into a knowing smirk, as he feigned a remorseful sigh. "However, I'm afraid I have unfortunate news... It never worked." He said, chuckling gleefully at the groups genuinely shocked and concerned faces. "A failed, discarded prototype." He said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "It would have required an impossible amount of energy to function properly."

Anxiety gave way to furtive, concerned looks among the group. Taylor gripped his weapon tighter, noticing Jake grip his bag for a moment, before forcing himself to release it again.  _The Islands Heart will be strong enough to power the Gate._.. He told himself firmly, ignoring the churning concern in his gut.

"So," Rourke said smugly, smirking at the groups obvious discomfort. "Lamentably, you came for nothing." He said, chuckling as he gripped his jacket lapels and rocked on the balls of his feet in amusement.

"You and your pet, will  _die_  here." Estela snarled, ignoring the mans gloating as she darted her narrowed her eyes between Rourke and Lila. "You can be certain of that."

"One way or another, we'll put a stop to you, Father." Aleister spat, glaring at Rourke fiercely as Grace bit her lip and huddled worriedly against his side.

"Ah, Aleister..." Rourke sighed, his face falling as he shook his head sadly at his son. "I regret that circumstances haven't allowed me to be more straightforward with you." He said, a slow grin blooming across his face, as a dark glimmer of amusement sparked in his eyes. "But the curtain, as it were, is finally going up." He said breathlessly, clearly excited by the prospect. "All of La Huerta's mysteries will soon surrender themselves to us... Armed with what we've discovered here at  **MASADA,**  humanity will be able to bravely march forward-"

"Humanity? Bravery?" Aleister scoffed, heaving a loud snort of derision at his father, as he cut off the mans tirade. "What could  _you_  possibly know about such things?" He demanded, scowling up at the man in disgust. "You turned your wife; my  _mother,_  into a glorified slave!" He opened his mouth to speak further of his father's crimes against his mother, when Taylor risked a minute shake of his head, and the pale boy took note of his risk; snapping his mouth shut, with an audible click of his teeth.

"And, ordered your little snake to stab my mom in the back!" Estela roared, straining furiously against Jake and Raj's hold.

 _"Please,"_  Lila pleaded, stepping forward with her wide eyes brimming with hope. "Just, let him explain-" she begged, her non-swollen eye tinged with red.

The group began to all shout at once, hurling accusations at Rourke and Lila, devolving into a chaotic cacophony of noise.  _"Murderers!"_  Estela  desperately. 

Grace leaned forward from Aleister's arms to glare at them both with tearful eyes. "You're both  _awful,"_  she sniffed angrily, her hands clenching into small balls. "And you should feel  _awful!"_

"Where's Lundgren?" Jake demanded, glaring at the other Arachnid operatives hatefully. "My  _fist_  has another appointment with his  _face!"_

Taylors eyes darted across his friends angry faces, his heart hammering in fear as he heard their furious cries ring out through the chamber. His eyes settled on his pilot, and he bit his lip nervously, desperately hoping to keep Jake as far from Lundgren as he possibly could. 

He snapped his gaze to Rourke, as the man whirled towards himself, and the other Arachnid troops. " _What am I paying you for?"_  He snarked, gesturing to the irate group of Taylors friends. " _Get them in line_!" He ordered, tugging his jacket straight as he stepped aside.

Taylor swallowed, taking a deep breath quickly, as he recalled Jake's advise. Don't be afraid to get rough, Boy Scout. As the real soldiers stepped closer to his friends, Taylor turned towards his friends, and hoped they would forgive him. He leveled his rifle at them menacingly, the gesture causing them all to flinch backwards.

 _"Whoa!"_  Michelle gasped, glaring at him incredulously. "That's uncalled for!"

"Yeah, whose side are you..." Raj began, scowling up at him, before his face fell in realisation. "Uh, never mind..."

"Shut up," Taylor snapped, roughly jerking his head over his shoulder to the real troops, who were clearly awaiting an excuse to attack. "Before my  _friends_  here, beat you senseless for disrespecting Mr. Rourke." He said pointedly, relief flooding him when his friends tensed and shifted in guilty understanding.

"Okay, okay..." Diego said, raising his hands in placation, his eyes wide as he glanced between Taylor and the real soldiers. "Good point!"

Quinn looked up at Taylor, her eyes filled with nervous remorse, as she recognized his obvious concern for them. "... Sorry." She whispered, as Rourke sauntered over to Estela and Aleister.

"Estela..." He began, his face falling into a remorseful grimace. "I regret that Olivia forced my hand...  Ut she of all people, would understand that sacrifices must be made, for the greater good." He said, beaming an encouraging smile at the snarling girl. "As for  _Imogen,"_  he said, his expression becoming cold and calculating as he turned to face the pale boy beside her. "You're right, Aleister. I gave her back existence, nothing more. But, now that you're here, I may finally be able to give her life."

"Wha..." Aleister balked, his eyes widening in surprise. "What are you talking about?!"

"You see?" Lila enthused, beaming a wide and excited grin around the group. "This is what I was trying to tell you! Mr. Rourke's plan, is in everyone's best interests!"

"If words can't convince you of my desire to better this world," Rourke hummed, preening under the rapt attention he was receiving. "Perhaps, a demonstration will..." He said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "We've made promising advancements, with a particular extraterrestrial mineral..." He said, smirking smugly, as he produced a small shard; similar to the strange crystals they had been finding all over the island. Taylor took a discreet step backwards, scowling beneath his helmet, as a haze of dizziness swam at the edge of his mind.

Rourke placed the shard in front of a robotic arm, tapping a display as taylor and the others observed cautiously. A laser fired at the crystal fragment, causing it to glow brightly. Taylors scowl deepened, as he sucked in a sharp breath, the unnatural glow of the crystal seeming to intensify the dizzying power which radiated from it.

Rourke took a beaker full of strange fluid, from a nearby counter and let it fall next to the shard, spilling its contents. Taylor clamped his mouth shut, gripping his weapon tightly and firmly locking his stance into place; as before his eyes, the beaker split into an array of future and past versions of itself, the power from the crystal shard fluctuating wildly.

Some of the beakers still contained the strange fluid, whole others had it streaming out in different directions. "The hell is-" Craig began to curse, only for Zahra to swiftly elbow him.

Rourke remained focused on the glowing shard, as he reached down and carefully plucked a full, intact beaker out of mid-air. "We're  _so_  close to being able to replicate this on a larger scale..." He murmured in an awed whisper. "Once we've harnessed the power of The Endless, all of time will be ours to command!" He said gleefully, as Taylor tried to concentrate on his breathing, refusing to cave to the dizziness swirling through his mind.

"You can't just change what you don't like about things that've already happened!" Grace cried, trying to gain Aleister's attention, as he stared at his father's demonstration in thoughtful awe. "There'll be a butterfly effect!"

"But perhaps..." Aleister hedged, shifting awkwardly as he considered his father's work. "If used in an isolated manner..." He said thoughtfully, as Grace stared up at him in horror.

"If you're looking for our help with that, Daddy Weirdbucks, you've got another thing coming!" Jake snarled loudly, and Taylor felt a rush of affection for the pilot, as his eyes flitted a worried glance past him. 

 _"No way!"_  Quinn growled, scowling at Rourke as she took hold of Jake's hand within her own. Taylors heart warmed at her support for the pilot, relieved that the redhead was able to reassure him in his place. 

"I presumed there'd be resistance to the idea, especially after Taylors  _dishonourable_  behaviour." Rourke sneered, waving a hand to the troops with a sigh. "Very well. Take them to the containment units." 

"Containment... units?" Diego choked, his eyes wide as the troops moved into action. "Like, where the Ghostbusters put Slimer?"

"I'm sure you'll all come around...  _In time."_  Rourke said, smirking at them all in amusement, as Taylors heart throbbed with the vivid throwback to his strange dream on their flight into the island.

Arachnid operatives surrounded Taylors friends, and it was only due to his already locked frame, that he was able to resist launching after them. He watched with his heart thundering in his chest, as his friends were shoved and dragged towards an elevator. 

 _"Hey!"_  Michelle protested, as one of the troops manhandled her to the front of the group.

 _"Easy!"_  Raj cried, his expression concerned as he tried to protect those nearest from the soldiers hostile treatment. "We're going, we're  _going!"_

As the elevator filled, Taylor caught sight of Jake fighting against the restraining guards, and his heart yearned to join him. As the doors closed, his pilot looked up and met his eyes in silent encouragement, before the group disappeared; leaving Taylor, Sean, Craig and Zahra alone with Rourke.

"We're still missing a few of the guests, aren't we?" The smug man said, frowning at where the others had disappeared into the elevator. "The big one, the brave one, the hacker and...  _the mystery."_  He said gleefully, even as he shook his head dismissively. "I'll need you four to fetch their corpses from Lake Tethys. We require all twelve bodies for the procedure.  _Especially,_  Taylor." He said, his gaze turning hungry as he thought of finally getting a chance to unravel the mystery that he considered Taylor to be.

"Understood, sir." Taylor bit out, closing his eyes in relief as Rourke pocketed the shard, and left through a separate elevator with Lila.

 _"Finally!"_  Craig choked, his hands raising to his helmet. "I can barely breathe in this stupid mask-"

"Wait." Zahra demanded,moving to a nearby control panel and executing several commands, as Craig remained frozen in place. "Okay, nobody's watching. We're clear." She said after a moment, as the security cameras deactivated, and Taylor immediately slumped against the wall with a huge gasp of relief, sliding down to sit of the floor in a heap.

 _"Taylor!"_  Sean called, as Zahra took off her helmet and crouched beside him, removing his own quickly so he could take several large gulps of fresh air.

"Thanks, Snape." He said, patting her arm weakly in gratitude as he looked up at Craig and Sean, both mask-free as they looked down at him worriedly. "I'm okay now, those crystals just... Man, they're the  _worst."_  He groaned, running a gloved hand through his hair tiredly.

"Are you sure-?" Sean began, only for Taylor to wave his concerns away with a disgruntled grimace.

"Alright, guys." Craig said, nodding to Taylor to show he understood his desire to focus on the task at hand. "So, now what?"

"Phase two." Sean said, casting a worried glance at Taylor, before looking around their small group determinedly. "We save the others before they get put in whatever 'containment' Rourke has in mind for them."

"Then we make a run for the Gate." Taylor huffed in agreement, wincing as he tried to rub some strength back into his shaking legs. He was about to say something more, when Zahra's eyes widened suddenly.

 _"Shut up!"_  She ordered, looking around the laboratory urgently.

"Damn, Z." Craig sniggered, looking over at her fondly. "Rude." He snorted, as she shushed him distractedly.

"No, it's..." She said, frowning in frustration as she got to her feet and moved around the lab. "Do you hear that?" She asked, raising her finger in the air to silence them. Taylor frowned, as he suddenly became aware of a soft tone in the air around them. 

"Over there, look..." He murmured, gesturing towards a control panel, where a soft blue light pulsed slowly. "That's the same thing we heard..." He said, a small burst of energy bursting through him, as hope bloomed in his heart.

"When Iris showed up." Zahra agreed, nodding thoughtfully as she walked over to the control panel. "She must be trying to tell us something..." She hummed, resting her hand upon the panel. It's display suddenly changed, revealing a detailed blueprint of  **MASADA.**  A flashing line appeared, leading from their current location, to an area marked ' **Private Office: O. Montoya.'**

"O. Montoya?" Sean said, frowning thoughtfully, before looking up suddenly with his eyes blown wide. "That's Estela's mom..!" He choked in surprise, shaking his head ruefully that the girl herself wasn't able to join them. "Iris wants us to go to her office?"

"Well," Taylor huffed, groaning as he pushed to his feet, Craig and Sean quickly hurrying to his side's to help. "Let's check it out." He said, reaching up to replace his helmet. When his friends had all followed his example, they took a last look at the directions, committing them to memory before setting out to follow them. They each took care to move through the facility as inconspicuously as possible, moving with purpose through the halls. Taylor paused when he noticed a small blue light beneath an office door, tipping his head lightly to the others as he pushed the door open for them, and doing a quick sweep of the hall before following after them.

Inside, dusty lab equipment is spread across counters and desks. A series of sketches depicting robotic constructs were attached to a bulletin board, along with several small child like drawings, and a photograph.

"... Looks abandoned." Sean said, as  Taylor slowly approached the board, his fingers skimming the drawings lightly, before plucking the photo from its pin. He looked down at a small girl in a Karate-Gi; kicking her foot high into the air proudly. He snorted, and tucked it into his armour, as he removed his helmet and looked around.

He saw a blue spotlight emanating from a computer terminal in the far corner of the room, and he smiled in relief, as Iris's hologram gradually materialized.

"It is good to see you again, my friends." She greeted them warmly, her gaze slowly passing over each of them. "We can speak safely in here. This room is no longer monitored, having been unused for several years."

"So this..." Taylor said slowly, looking around the laboratory thoughtfully. "Is where Estela's mom worked?" 

"This is Olivia's old office, yes." Iris said stiffly, her tone unusually cold.

"Uh," Taylor hedged, sensing the holograms reluctance to speak about the scientist herself. "So, what was she working on?"

"Actually, that's a highly relevant question!" Iris said, almost seeming to sag in relief at the slight deviation in topic, as Taylor wandered away slightly to look around. "She was one of the first scientists, to extrapolate the extent of The Endless's abilities.

 _"What?!"_  Taylor choked, spinning round quickly, a small bottle of perfume in his hand. "The Vaanti told us The Endless could 'move freely' between different points in time..." He said, slipping the bottle of perfume in his pocket without thinking, as he moved closer to Iris eagerly.

 **"MASADA's**  scientists, have proven that the same holds true for spacial distances." The A.I. explained, her eyes flashing as she searched her system databanks. "In fact, the Lernaean Gate, was designed to mimic this method of teleportation." She said, as Taylor sighed and ran a hand through his hair in frustration, disappointed he was no closer to have no more answers about The Endless's tine-warping abilities.

"So," Sean asked, bringing their conversation back to the plan to escape. "How do we find the others, and get them to the Gate?" He asked, and Taylor felt a tight knot of worry gnaw at his gut, concern for his friends and his pilot weighing on him.

"The prisoners have been taken to Hydrodynamic Stasis for processing." Iris explained, bringing up a small portion of the blueprint she had left for them in her original brief message. "That laboratory is just a few floors beneath us, bur it's constantly under heavy guard." She warned, before pointing across the laboratory behind them. "There's an experimental weapon in this office, that should be able to neutralize any Arachnid soldiers found there." 

"I'm down for anything that involves 'experimental' and 'weapon'." Zahra sniggered, as she began to cross the lab.

"Hell yeah!" Craig cheered excitedly, hurrying across the room ahead of Zahra.

"Once you've freed the others, you'll need to proceed to Theoretical Prismatics in Sub-Level Nine, deep in the underlying pillar of rock." Iris said, her gaze falling to Taylor. 

"And, that's where the Lernaean Gate is?" He asked, moving closer to the hologram as she smiled at him warmly.

"Correct." She said quietly, nodding her head firmly. "It's among a number of devices developed at  **MASADA,**  before the limitations of standard prisms were fully understood... The Islands Heart, will be more than sufficient to finally activate it."

"Sweet." Craig said dismissively, his head peering around a cupboard door with a frown. "So where's this weapon you're talkin' about?"

"There's a cabinet to your left, marked with a hazard symbol-" Iris began, only to flicker erratically.

 _"Iris!"_  Taylor called, his face falling in concern as the blue hologram attempted to control itself. "Something wrong?" He asked worriedly, his hands raised pointlessly for aide or comfort he could never give.

"I'm..." The hologram gasped, her eyes widening in shock. " _Being reconfigured_!" She cried, her eyes meeting Taylors desperately. "Taylor,  _please!_  Promise you'll get Aleister and Varyyn to safety." She pleaded, flickering once more, thought her gaze remained locked onto Taylor.

"Wait,  _Varyyn?"_  Sean asked, frowning in confusion. "What about him in particular?" He wondered aloud, as Iris gasped and tried to withstand against her programming.

"Everett wants to prepare a new host!" Iris choked, as Taylor grimaced and desperately ached to help her somehow. "Directive nineteen oh eight will force me to-" Iris's hologram vanished mid-sentence, her ominous warning remaining incomplete, as Taylor hung his head.

"...  _That_  ain't good." Zahra said, her finger pointing to where Iris had disappeared from, whole Craig walked over to the cabinet the hologram had indicated.

"No... It's worse." Taylor said darkly, raising his gaze to glance at Sean and Zahra meaningfully. "It means hw figured our she helped us get here, or that Lila told him she did... And now, she's paying for it."

 _"Huh,"_  Craig hummed, utterly ignorant of their somber conversation. "There's a diagram on the door." He said, kneeling down to look at the cabinet housing the experimental weapon. "Holy...  _It's a shoulder mounted laser cannon!"_  He gasped excitedly, as Sean, Zahra and Taylor exchanged a final glance before heading over to join him. "Guys,  _guys!"_  Craig exclaimed, his grin so wide he looked almost manic with glee. "We gotta get this open! It's about to get all Gundam up in here!"

"Gangnam?" Sean asked hesitantly, only for Zahra to snort and roll her eyes at him.

"Gundam." She repeated with a sigh, before scowling at the excited jock. "Craig, hold up for a sec. Lemme look at the secur-"

"Yo, I  _need_  this in my life!" Craig cried, giddily tapping a bunch of panels on a nearby display. Taylor froze, casting a nervous glance at Zahra, as he heard machinery spring into motion.

"Oh... I have  _such_  a bad feeling about thi-" he began, only to cut off with a sudden cry, as something wrapped around his head, blocking his vision.  _"Aghh!_  What the-"

"You okay, Taylor?" Sean called through the pitch darkness encompassing Taylor, his concern barely noticeable over Taylors rising panic.

"Looks like a VR headset..." Zahra said, her normally emotionless voice hoarse with concern, as she gently prodded at the device which was blinding him. "It's freaking latched on to Taylors head!" She cried, as a bright blue room began to materialize around Taylor. "Taylor, can you hear me? I'm tryna turn it off!" Zahra called to him desperately, as Taylor looked around in awe, his racing heart calming slightly in the peaceful setting; until a familiar woman in a lab coat entered and turned towards him. There was a deep sense of urgency in her eyes, a look he recognized from the many times he'd seen it before; in the eyes of the woman's daughter.

"Hello. I'm Olivia Montoya." The woman said quickly, her eyes darting around frantically. "For several years, I've been assigned to Rourke International's Omega Specimen project." She explained hurriedly, as a heavy weight settled in Taylors gut. "This simulation, was created in order to illustrate how hugely destructive Omega could be, if allowed to be seen to completion... Everything you're about to experience directly represents what the machine will do to the specimen, and thereby, what the specimen could do to our world." She said, before both she and the room, began to fade from view.

Taylor gasped, as he found himself on a busy city street. "Big Ben?" He choked, staring up at the tall clock in awe. "I... I think I'm on London!" He gasped as he looked down at himself, finding robotic limbs where his arms should be.

"Try to keep your cool, Taylor." Zahra said, trying hard to follow her own advise. "I think the simulation is responsive to biofeedback!"

Taylor looked around, suddenly feeling compelled to interact with the city around him. He reached out to a nearby parked car, only for a writhing blue-white aura to surround the vehicle. It gradually vanished from sight, leaving a vacant spot at the side of the street. "Hm..." Taylor hummed, as he thought about using such an ability on Rourke or Lundgren. "That could actually come in pretty handy..." He sniggered, a small glimmer of satisfaction in his belly, at the imagined expression either of the men he most hated might wear.

"Looking good, Taylor!" Zahra praised, her relief palpable at his ability to follow her advise and stay calm. "Keep it up, and I should be able to override it!"

Taylor felt the sudden rush of vertigo, swaying on his feet slightly as the scenario around him abruptly changed. He looked around to find himself on another bustling street, lined with modern high rises. Once more he felt the overwhelming compulsion to affect his surroundings.  _What's happening_? He thought, panicking briefly, before reminding himself of Zahra's warning; and forcing himself to look around thoughtfully.  _What am I?_  He wondered, frowning as he noticed a reflective skyscraper. As he approached the building, he was confronted by a reflection, in its glass facade. He gasped, stumbling backwards as instead of his own body, he saw a figure in a red spacesuit; enclosed within a massive robot. 

"No, no, no, no, no..." He muttered, shaking his head desperately as he blindly raised his hands to claw at the machine on his head. "Get it  _off,_  Snape..." He pleaded, his heart hammering wildly in his chest, unable to escape the image.  _"Get it off!"_  He cried desperately, as the building's windows began to ripple with blue energy. The outer wall was eaten away, exposing several floors. There was a loud groan, as the destabilized structure began to lean forward.

 _This isn't real_... He told himself, forcing his hands to still themselves, and lowering then slowly to his sides.  _Just gotta keep breathing... and stay focused._  He thought, taking a deep breath and trying to push aside the claustrophobic sense of terror he felt. The scene dissolved, returning him to the blue room, Estela's mother reappearing after only a brief moment of hesitation.

"You've just experienced first hand, the disastrous effects, of the Omega Specimen." Olivia said, leaning against her desk, as she stared imploringly toward where she anticipated the headset wearer would be standing. "If you were shocked by what you saw, I urge you to contact your government officials, and warn them to take action." She said, pushing to her feet an moving forward purposefully, her expression hardening into a furious scowl. "Rourke International must be stopped, before this project becomes a terrible reality... Thank you." She said, before she and the room began to fade once again.

"Guys..." Taylor said slowly, his eyes stinging from the desire to weep hysterically."I think it's shutting down..." God, I hope its shutting down. He added silently, his body slowly calming as no further images came to him.

"Hold on!" Craig bellowed, and Taylor immediately felt a swell of concern. "I'll save you, Taylor!"

"Craig, wait-" Zahra gasped, as something shattered, and suddenly, the headsets lock detached. He hurried to free himself from the headset, the visor falling away as he flapped his hands before his face quickly. Nearby, he saw smoke rising, from a smashed computer terminal.

"Are you alright?" Sean asked worriedly, his hand coming to rest on Taylors shoulder, as his eyes ran over him in obvious concern. 

Taylor gulped, looking down to examine the device in his hands." "That..." He said, swallowing heavily as he quickly dropped the device onto the nearest surface. "Was interesting to say the least... And terrifying." He said, shuddering as he closed his eyes and tried to erase the image of the red spacesuit from his mind.

"What'd you do that for, you big idiot?" Zahra demanded, smacking Craig around the ear with a furious scowl on her face. "I  _told_  you it was about to let Taylor go!"

"Whatever." Craig scoffed, tipping his chin towards Taylor himself. "You're welcome, for saving your life, bro."

"Sure." Taylor huffed, too relieved to be free of the headset to care about placing blame. "Thanks, Craig." He said, grinning at the jock as he took a deep breath and pushed everything he'd seen aside. "So, should we see if we can get that laser cannon out?" He asked, laughing when Craig practically skipped with excitement.

 _"Chyeah!"_  He cried, both high fiving and then fist bumping Taylor in his joy. "You know it!" He said, reaching for the panels again.

"Craig!" Zahra bellowed furiously, glaring at the jock so strongly he seemed to shrink. " _Do. Not. Touch. Anything."_  She said, as she moved cautiously towards the control panel.

"Okay, okay." The jock pouted, toying with the front of his armour briefly. "I get it..." He muttered, absently reaching toward a screen, preparing to swipe the surface.

"Dude,  _seriously..!"_  Sean warned, glancing worriedly between Zahra's increasingly red face, and Craig's disobedient hand.

"... Fine." Craig sulked, holding his hands behind his back, as Zahra squinted at a terminal next to the cabinet.

"Yep. I should be able to get this baby out." Zahra said at last, beaming a wide grin around them all. "It'll just take a little time."

"One walkin' tank, complete with artillery, comin' up!" Craig cheered excitedly, looming over Zahra's shoulder impatiently.

"Based on what we've seen so far," Taylor said thoughtfully, thinking of Lundgren, Fiddler and Mouse; along with their superior gear. "I'm thinking we're gonna to need that..."

"You got it." Zahra said, winking over at him briefly, as she began tapping away at the display screen beside the cabinet. She quickly disabled the lock, and popped the door with a cocky grin. A white, octagonal cylinder was revealed inside, connected to a shoulder harness and peripheral devices. "Okay, Craig..." She said warningly, as she drew the weapon out. "Remember; stealth first."

Craig rushed over to grab the cannon, balancing it on his arm while he attached the straps. "Stealth first..." He agreed, leaning down to slap a grateful kiss to Zahra's unsuspecting cheek, before drawing away with a huge grin. "And pew pew  _boom_  second!" He laughed, strutting proudly around the room, with the sleek cylinder jutting from his shoulder.

"You know how to use that thing, Hsiao?" Sean asked, shaking his head in fond amusement, at Craig's childish glee.

"Let's find out!" Craig said eagerly, aiming the weapon at a cleaned out desk in the corner. A sudden, blazing column of red appeared in the cannon's path, instantly reducing the desk to white hot ash. Craig's jaw dropped in awe, before he began to giggle ecstatically. "Oh  _whaaaaat?_  That's what I'm talkin' about!"

"Okay, I gotta admit..." Zahra said, beaming a huge grin up at Craig's guddy expression.  _"That,_  was awesome."

"Nice shot." Taylor said, flashing a brief grin, before tipping his head towards the door. "We'd better get moving, though. I'm worried about the others..." He added, quickly fixing his helmet into place. His heart lurched in agreement with his words, as he realised the length of time they'd been away from their friends.

"Just, try to keep that thing pointed away from us, okay, Sixty Eight?" Sean said, eyeing the cannon dubiously, before refitting his own mask into place.

"You got it." Craig assured, and despite the building worry in his gut, taylor couldn't help but smile at the child like grin on Craig's face, as he and Zahra replaced their masks. As they filed out the office, he also noticed the gleeful bounce to the jocks step, and he shook his head, as they retraced their steps to the main entrance.

His heart began to race, as they approached the elevators they'd watched their friends be crammed into, and he let out a quick huff of breath, as the doors slid open. The four of them stepped inside, and Sean leaned down to look at a list of floors on a display panel. "Which destination do we want?" He asked, as taylor tried to ignore the way his stomach had begun to flip nervously.

"Iris said, Hydrodynamic Stasis." He replied distractedly, biting his lip as he began to worry in earnest about his pilot, feeling guilty that they'd left them all alone for so long. "That's where they have our friends."

"Right." Sean said, tapping the screen, and closing the doors. "Good memory." He huffed, winking at Taylor approvingly.

"Remember; think goon." Zahra warned, as the elevator began to descend, carrying them down to the right floor at an agonizingly slow pace. "We're gonna have company."

When the doors finally opened to a corridor lit by stark fluorescent's, Taylor was practically squirming with impatience. He froze however, upon hearing a familiar voice coming from somewhere ahead, his lips curling into a hateful snarl.

 " _Such a shame... You coulda been a hero, McKenzie."_  Lundgren drawled smugly, and Taylor had to clamp down on the overwhelming urge to race forward and open fire on the man; his hatred blinding him.

"Taylor, man, don't do anything rash..." Sean warned lowly, his hand coming to rest on Taylors arm, drawing him back to rational thought with a jolt. He looked down to see his fingers clutched tightly to his weapon, and with a deep breath, he forced himself to relax his grip.

"Okay..." He said, tipping his head toward the sound of Lundgren's cruel taunts. "Let's get closer, but... keep a low profile." He said, his gut churning with fear.

"Copy that." Sean said, releasing his arm with a reassuring squeeze. The corridor took a sharp turn, then opened out into a larger room. Taylor peeked around the corner, to see his friends lined up along the wall of a laboratory, while a row of Arachnid soldiers held rifles to their backs.

His heart stopped, upon seeing Lundgren with his hand around Jake's throat, his powered exosuit lifting him into the air, as the pilot tried to lash out at him furiously. He moved unthinkingly, his gun rising to aim at Lundgren, when he was pulled back roughly and held firmly against the wall, Sean's powerful arms refusing to let him act recklessly.

"Should've left it alone, son." Lundgren snarked, as Taylor's eyes remained locked onto Jake, his heart hammering in abject fear for his pilot. "Would've turned out better for everyone."

"Lundgren..." Jake choked, his expression a mask of rage as he kicked out a the air beneath his feet. "You  _delusional_  son of a..." He sucked in a deep breath, closing his eyes as he held onto the hand at hos throat tightly. When he opened his eyes again, he flared at his ex-commander so fiercely, Taylor was surprised he didn't burn a hole right through him. "One day, you're gonna go down for what you've done!" Jake promised darkly, and Taylors heart leapt with pride, recalling the pilots promise from the precious evening.

"That day  _ain't_  today, McKenzie." Lundgren sneered, his expression turning amused, as Fiddler sidled up beside him.

"Today's  _your_  day." She purred, smirking as she borrowed Lundgren's cigar and took a large puff, only to blow the smoke into Jake's face slowly.

 _"Kff..."_  Jake coughed, his hateful glare only intensifying as the katana wielding woman smirked at him. "My only mistake, was trusting someone like  _you,_  Fiddler."

 _"Aww,_  that hurts. Really does." Fiddler pouted, as Taylor frowned, sensing the more prominent role in Jake's history than the pilot had confessed. "Fortunately," she said, brightening as she gestured through an observation window. "You'll have plenty of time to reconsider your harsh words, while you're in your pickle jar..." She said, as Taylor looked over the endless rows of stasis tubes, standing in the adjoining room. Each contained a pale, contorted figure, kept on the edge of life by support systems.

Taylor turned off his suits voice amplification, and caught the others attention quickly. "Those tubes." He whispered, tipping his chin through the window. "They're just like the one we found Rourke in, back at The Celestial." 

"Holy  _crap..."_  Craig gasped, shaking his head at the countless tubes in the other room. "Who  _are_  all those people?"

"Looks like they're in suspended animation." Sean growled quietly, his hand tightening its grip on Taylors shoulder unconsciously. "We've gotta rescue our friends before they join 'em."

"Lets put him in  _now,_  Lundgren." Fiddler pleaded, and Taylor gasped, straining against Sean's tight grip on him desperately, as the servos in Lundgren's armour began to grind, and he tossed Jake against a wall.

"Go ahead." Lundgren snarled, watching in disgust as Jake groaned and rolled away from the wall. "I'm  _sick_  of looking at that bastard." He sneered, as Jake pushed to his hands and knees, scowling up at the other man hatefully. "Stick 'em all in. You and Mouse, come see me when you're done."

" **Yes, sir**." Came the emotionless response of the red suited soldier, causing Taylor to flinch in discomfort. Lundgren turned towards the door, and Sean quickly released Taylor, as the four of them hurried to right themselves. Taylor clamped his teeth together hard, as the despicable man emerged into the corridor. 

Despite wanting nothing more than to punch him in his hateful face, Taylor instead jumped to attention and angled his hand across his forehead.  _"Sir!"_  He bit out gruffly, his eyes safely hidden as they narrowed in fierce hatred, when Lundgren barely glanced at him a she passed by. He entered the elevator, and the doors briskly slid shut, as Taylor slammed his head back agains the wall.

 _"Pff."_  Craig snorted, making a rude gesture after the Arachnid Commander. "What a jerk."

"He ignored us, ya dummy. That's a good thing." Zahra said, elbowing him lightly, as Taylor leaned to peer around the corner again, his heart racing with fear. "Come on now, we've gotta figure out how to save the others."

"Come on." He said, taking the lead as the four of them marched into the stasis lab. His heart lurched, and he almost stumbled to a halt, when they discovered Fiddler smugly watched Jake, as he was forcibly dragged by two Arachnid operatives toward a circular device.

"Get...  _offa_  me!" Jake growled, struggling fiercely against the troops restraining him. His clear eyes blazed with hatred and fury, locked onto Fiddler as she prowled smugly around the room.

"You're  _cute,"_  she said, eliciting a deep swirl of disgust and hatred within Taylors gut, and he raised his weapon toward her without noticing. "When you're angry... and  _helpless."_  She said slowly, savouring the moment.

The others began to protest as they heard the struggle, attempting to turn towards the commotion, only to be forced back to the wall by the gun wielding soldiers guarding them. "Stop it!" Diego cried, looking over at Jake worriedly. "Let him  _go!"_

"This is a coward's solution!" Varyyn snarled, wrestling against the guards tight grip on him. "We should fight to settle the matter!"

"They're going to put all of us, in those tanks?" Grace asked, her hands covering her mouth in horror, as Aleister wrapped a consoling arm around her shoulders.

Taylor narrowed his eyes, as Fiddler grabbed Jake by his jacket, and sent him sprawling atop the disc in the middle of the room. "Turn it on." She snarled, pointing roughly at Mouse.

" **Initiating discharge**." The red suited soldier replied, as Taylor felt a rush of anger and fear combined. As Mouse reached toward the terminal, Taylor noticed the security camera scanning the area from the ceiling.

"We've gotta do something!" Craig whispered furiously, as Sean raised his rifle. 

"I've got a clear shot!" He said in an urgent whisper, leaning closer to Taylor. "Who should I aim for?"

"Nobody," Taylor immediately replied, jerking his head to the ceiling. "Shoot the camera, Sean!" He ordered, and Sean immediately obeyed, aiming and firing a single round at the surveillance camera; blasting it off its mounting, and sending it clattering noisily to the floor.

"What the  _hell?!"_  Fiddler demanded, whirling around to see Taylors rifle levelled calmly at her head.

He slowly reached up to remove his helmet, revealing his furious scowl to the stunned Arachnid operatives.  _"Nobody;_  puts Top Gun into stasis." He sneered, as Diego released a hysterical giggle.

"Looks like you've been  _had,_  Predator." Jake said, smirking as he kicked out her legs, sending her flailing backward.

 _"Gah!"_  She cried, as the other three imposter troops removed their Arachnid helmets, their weapons trained on the stunned troops guarding their friends.

 **"It's the missing four**..." Mouse gasped, drawing Taylors attention as their emotionless voice sent shivers down his spine. " **They're** _ **attacking**!"_

"Too bad that with that camera out, none of your little buddies will see me  _kick your asses!_ " Craig growled, cranking the dial on his lqswr cannon, as he eyed a thin layer of fog clinging to the floor thoughtfully.

"We'll just see about that." Fiddler growled, scowling as she reached for an activation panel on her suit. "Let's play hide and seek!" She called, laughing maniacally over the sound of her blades being drawn, as she disappeared from sight.

"... I  _really_  don't like her." Zahra sighed dejectedly, as she scanned the area with Sean for Fiddler. 

"Alright... I'm chargin' up!" He growled, just as Fiddler reappeared in front of him, her katanas raised to strike.

"There's so much of you to slice..." She teased with a smug grin, tilting her head playfully. "Where should I begin? How about..." She said slowly, her face twisting into a vicious snarl. "Right here..!" She growled, bringing a blade to his neck.

"Heh," Craig snorted, never even blinking as he smirked down at her. "How about  _you_  eat  _laser_  instead?!" He snickered, as red light flared in the barrel of his cannon. Fiddler's eyes widened, and she barely had a moment to cross her blades defensively, before a massive streak of red, sent her flying across the lab. With a crunch which Taylor knew he should not have found to be so satisfying, she hit the opposite wall, and slid to the ground; her twisted, half disintegrated katanas tumbling to the floor at her sides as she collapsed, unconscious.

 _"Hello,_  Craig's little friend..." Diego choked, his eyes wide as he stated at the four of them in awe. Cracks appeared in some of the stasis tubes near the wall Fiddler collided with. Over the various sounds of struggling, Taylor could just make out a computerized voice.

" _Warning. Units three, seven and sixteen; compromised. Health of hotel guests, remains stable_."

"Guests?" Michelle cried, her eyes wide as she looked at the pods in disbelief.  _"These_  are The Celestials guests?!" She gasped, shaking her head as she covered her mouth with her hand.

"They were never evacuated." Taylor said darkly, scowling at the countless stasis tubes as he shook his head in disgust. "I knew Rourke was lying..!" He growled.

"But, why are they  _here?"_  Grace wondered aloud, her fingers tapping together nervously. "What could Rourke want with them?"

"Every tyrant needs his slaves." Taylor growled, grimacing as he considered the life Rourke had planned for them, as the three remaining Arachnid troops turned towards him, raising their guns. 

"Quick, guys!" Diego cried, leading the charge as he launched himself onto the back of a soldier and wrapped his arms around their throat.

" _Get 'em!"_  Quinn growled, her fury blazing as she punched another in the gut, her tiny fist seeming to do a fair amount of damage, from the way he doubled over.

Taylor watched with amusement as everyone descended upon the soldiers at once, tackling and punching as they repaid the soldiers for their rough treatment.

"You just messed with the wrong pre-med!" Michelle promised darkly, attacking pressure points to leave the guards weakened to the others attacks.

"I've been saving up my rage for a moment like this..." Aleister snarled, as he stepped forward and gracefully pirouetted away from.a soldiers rash attack. " _Have at you_!" He snarled, launching a smooth counter attack.

"Fall, men of the Hydra!" Varyyn cried, sweeping his long legs across the ground and knocking a soldier down easily.

Taylor turned to another corner of the room, to find Estela and Sean pinning down a subdued Mouse. He frowned and had just begun to head over to them, when a hand clamped onto his shoulder. He spun around quickly, to find Jake grinning at him, and his heart fluttered in relief; as he dropped his weapon without hesitation and threw himself into his pilots tight embrace.

He watched in vague interest over Jake's shoulder, as the other Arachnid troops backed away from Michelle and Aleister, who'd taken their rifles. His heart thundered against his ribs, his body slowly relaxing as Jake held him, allowing him a brief moment of reassurance; now they were out of immediate danger.

"Bring 'em over to that disc over there." Zahra said, moving over to the terminal which Mouse had been about to activate. "I got an idea."

"You heard her,  _creeps!"_  Michelle barked, stepping aside and gesturing for the soldiers to move ahead of her. "Move!" She ordered again, nudging one firmly with the butt of the rifle she'd appropriated. Raj joined her, helping her prod the soldiers over to the central platform, while Sean dragged Mouse's body over.

" **Please, no!** " One of the troops pleaded, shaking their head desperately as they stumbled onto the disc. " **We're nobodies! Our salary's less than forty-K!"**

Zahra snorted as she typed something into a touch panel, smirking as she glanced up and winked at them. "You're over paid. Have a nice bath." She said lightly, as circular hatches opened beneath the soldiers feet. She grinned as they fell, splashing into a vat of green fluid, before the hatches snapped shut once more. "Cool." She sniggered, sharing a fist bump with Craig as he swaggered over proudly.

"Man..." Raj sighed, running a hand through his hair tiredly. "I'm ready for a vacation from this vacation."

"That was damned close." Jake murmured in Taylors ear, his breath against Taylors skin making him shiver. "Boy Scout, your timing's somethin' else..." He huffed, as Taylor smiled, pulling back slightly to wink at Jake suggestively.

"You can repay me later." He said, his forehead coming to rest against Jake's as the pilot sniggered quietly.

"... You  _know_  I will." He promised, his heated gaze locking onto Taylors, a huge and cocky grin spreading across his face.

"We gotta move, people." Sean said, causing Jake and Taylor to separate reluctantly. "Next stop is the Gate." He said, leading everyone toward the elevator.

Taylor smiled, as he felt Jake's hand slip easily into his own, tugging him back slightly to dawdle at the back of the group. "I gotta admit, you had me worried there for a minute." Jake said quietly, as Taylor squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"Sorry, slight VR mishap when Craig decided to play expert hacker." Taylor said, shivering as he unwillingly recalled the things he'd seen in the simulation.

"Right, not  _even_  gonna ask." Jake snorted, shaking his head in amusement, before running his eyes over Taylor worriedly. "You're okay, though? When Phony Stark got that shard out-"

"I'm okay." Taylor promised, squeezing Jake's hand as he threw him with a small smile. "I can prove it real quick, if you'd like." He said, sniggering as Jake snorted in amusement.

"Yeah?" The pilot asked, cocking a brow curiously, as Taylor nodded his head. He pulled the pilot to a halt, and immediately turned, his lips finding Jake's with a rough and emotion fueled kiss. Although it lasted only a few seconds, Taylor felt sure he'd appropriately conveyed his feelings, from the pleased grin on the pilots face.

"Come on," Taylor said, tugging at the pilots hand so they were jogging after the others. "Sooner we get out of here, sooner we can do a whole lot more of that." He said, ignoring the nervous niggling in his gut, at the thought of trying to leave.

"You should go into motivational speaking." Jake snorted, as they caught up to the others, just arriving at Sub-Level Nine. Taylor raised a brow at him curiously, and Jake snorted again, squeezing his hand as he winked. "Never felt so motivated to do  _anythin'_  before." He sniggered, before bumping into Varyyn, as the Elyyshar came to an abrupt halt.

"What is that?" Varyyn asked nervously, pointing to the end of the corridor. "Do you see that, up ahead?"

"Looks like a security scanner." Sean growled, as Taylor released Jake's hand and surged to join the athlete at the front of the group with Zahra and Craig. "Get your helmets back on." He ordered, as a high pitched, electronic noise began to sound.

"All personnel, please stand by for security screening." A computerized voice called, as the fount of them hurried to return the masks to their faces.

 _"Annnd,_  we're screwed." Zahra sighed flatly, shaking her head even as she fixed her helmet securely.

"Wait, that's not what you're supposed to say!" Raj cried, his face falling as he turned to the hacker worriedly.

"Yeah." Craig said, tilting his masked face towards Zahra in concern. "Usually you're all, 'I got this. Can't no security system hold me down' and stuff."

"Sorry." She replied with a heavy sigh, shaking her head regretfully." I don't have this one, guys."

"Everyone get behind me!" Taylor ordered harshly, a fierce flame of denial flaring in his gut, refusing to allow his friends to be endangered any further. He stood as tall as he could, Zahra, Sean and Craig fanning out slightly so the rest of the group could duck down between them, as if still prisoners. "We're too close to mess this up now." He growled, scowling beneath his mask, as several cameras swivelled towards him. A dot projector scanned each of them, and everyone held their breath in eerie silence, as a seeming eternity passed them by.

" **No intruders detected. Access granted**." 

Taylor frowned briefly, not sure how or why the idea had worked, but deciding to run with it all the same. "We made it!" He cried, gesturing for the others to hurry, as he set off at a run to continue towards their destination. "Come on!"

The corridor lead to a massive chamber, overgrown with vines and moss. "Uh oh..." Diego panted lightly, frowning around the wild room dejectedly. "I dunno if anything down here is still going to work." He said dubiously, as Taylor led his friends through the lab, passing by derelict devices and failed prototypes.

"Hey, Boy Scout..." Jake called quietly, sighing in reluctance as Taylor turned to look at him. "Get a load of this." He said, as he joined the pilot by a small window. He wiped away dust , and revealed a chamber contained in the wall. He peered inside, before drawing back with a sudden gasp.

"Another idol!" He choked, his heart pounding as he instantly recognised the idol; knowing exactly who it represented. He frowned curiously, as he turned towards Jake. "But, why-"

"That's  _me,_  ain't it?" Jake asked, ignoring Taylors question, his eyes remaining locked on the idol, as he snorted in irritation. "I can feel it... Like this, scratching in the back of my head, and this... Urge, like I gotta have the damn thing. Guess I never really understood what you meant about 'em callin' to people. 'Til now..." He said, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair. "Personally, I'd gladly leave the cursed thing to rot in the middle of that laser grid, and call it a day. But..." He groaned, rolling his eyes towards Taylor. "I'm guessin' you wouldn't be too keen on that plan?"

Taylor felt fear clog his throat, and he could only barely bring himself to even shake his head.  _Watching the others... The worst experiences of their lives, their deaths_! He thought desperately, hearing the sound of blood rushing in his ears.  _Having to watch Jake's... There's no doubt what it'll be. I don't know if I can_... He thought, stepping away from the idol nervously. His breath became ragged, hyperventilating as his heart stuttered painfully _. I can't do this, I-_  his thoughts were silenced as Jake embraced him, folding him into his arms and pressing his scratchy cheek to Taylors.

"Hey, we don't need it. C'mon,  _easy..._  Breathe for me, Boy Scout..." He murmured reassuringly, his hand curling around the back of Taylors neck and squeezed gently, trailing light kisses across his brow. "I got ya, 's okay..." He said, as Taylor clutched at the pilots jacket and tried to ground himself.

"I-" he hiccupped, blowing out a deep gust of breath as he rested his forehead to Jake's shoulder briefly. "Oh god..." He moaned, shaking his head as he drew back to press a fervent kiss to the pilots lips. "I  _really,_  don't want to do this..." He whispered as he withdrew, and Jake groaned knowingly, pouting at him in frustration. "But... I have to. I need them for, something. Urgh, its there, I can feel it at the back of my head; I know what they do! But I can't..." He growled in irritation, scowling and shaking his head as he took a deep breath and met Jake's reluctant gaze.

The pilot sighed and looked back at the chamber, frowning thoughtfully. "I reckon they were scanning it for something, forgot it was down here..." Jake said, running a hand through his hair as Taylor stepped back and wrapped his arms around himself.

"Can... Can you get it out?" Taylor asked, biting his lip as Jake huffed and narrowed his eyes in thought, as he examined the chamber. 

"There's a chance an alarm will sound, if the beams are disrupted. But... there might be a way." The pilot admitted reluctantly, glancing over in the obvious hope that Taylor would change his mind.

"Okay..." He said quietly, taking another second to compose himself, lowering his arms from his own torso, and stepping up beside him. "What's your idea?" He asked, as Jake flashed him a half hearted, lopsided grin.

"Watch and learn." He said with a cocky wink, before shattering a nearby pane of mirrored glass. He carefully opened the scanner compartment, and used a mirror shard to reflect the laser beams. He sighed, looking at the idol forlornly. "Piece of cake." He said, slowly reaching in to withdraw the idol, and narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. "Hey, how 'bout I shove this straight in your bag, and we skip whatever's waitin' for ya in it?" He offered, glancing up with a wide grin, as Taylor chuckled appreciatively.

"Thanks, Top Gun." He said, taking Jake's free hand and squeezing gently. "But-"

"Aw,  _crap."_  Jake sighed in resignation, cutting off Taylors reasoning to glance down at their laced fingers, before meeting Taylors determined gaze sadly. "I  _hate_  this..." He whispered, reluctantly offering the idol to Taylor. "Here you go."

Taylor took a deep breath, hesitantly raising his hand, and the moment they were both touching the idol; the facility was washed away. He felt his heart racing, could hear it loudly pounding in his ears, as he was wrenched back through time, straight into the cockpit of a military plane. Jake sat in the cockpit, casually manning the throttle with a relaxed grin, ever joyful to be flying. "Arachnid flight deck, this is Wolf, reporting clear skies over Kharzistan." He said calmly.

The radio crackled with a response almost immediately. " **Roger that, Wolf."**  Came a static riddled voice, pausing momentarily before speaking again. " **Any sign of activity**?"

Taylor felt his heart choke, as next to Jake, the co-pilot leaned forward, squinting at a radar console. "Nada." He said, his southern accent faintly thicker than Jake's. "Looks like a straight shot to mother base, just like we planned."

Taylor felt his focus drawn to the other man entirely, almost missing the reply on the radio, as he drank in the sight of a man he would never meet; but who would always cast him in shadow. 

" **Copy. Safe flying**." The voice replied, before Mike shut the radio off, and leaned back in his seat.

Taylor wished he could move his view, or at least frown to express himself, as he tried to get a reading on the man who had been such a huge part of Jake's life. His short black seemed utterly regular, his beard neatly trimmed; but nothing spectacular. Yet for all his normality, Taylor still felt the man to be somewhat untouchable.

"So, here we are." Mike sighed, pouting out the window as Jake grinned and manned the controls. "The two best pilots in the entire Navy... stuck on recon duty." He groaned, his head falling back in boredom.

"Hey, I don't mind." Jake laughed, looking over with such a hearfelt grin, it made Taylors heart melt and clench at the same time. "I'll take a smooth, boring recon run over a dogfight, any day." He said with a cocky wink.

"Whatever you say, Grandpa." Mike snorted, lounging in his chair as he threw a smug grin back.

Jake rolled his eyes and leaned over, giving Mike a playful punch in the arm. "Word of advice, Mike?" He sighed, shaking his head at his friend fondly. "Drop the whole 'nicknames' schtick. It's  _seriously_  lame." 

"Pff, says  _you."_  Mike snorted, puffing his chest out proudly. "Ladies love it." He drawled, smirking in amusement, as Jake began to laugh.

Taylor felt a bitter bite of jealousy, a brief sting of resentment towards Jake's habit of nicknaming people.  _Why'd it have to come from him_?! He thought furiously, before wilting to guilt and shame.  _For the same reason I wore his dogtags... A tribute, to those we loved. After all, I buried everyone, not just Jake_... He thought, his heart feeling both hollow and heavy at once.

"Says the guy who struck out, with every girl in the port, when we were on shore leave." Jake sniggered, distracting Taylor as the pilot looked over at Mike with a wide grin, his eyes alight with a vibrancy Taylor wasn't entirely sure he'd ever seen.

"What can I say?" Mike asked with a long suffering sigh, his palms spread remorsefully. "I'm an acquired taste." Jake snorted and leaned back in his seat, grinning to himself in genuine joy.

Taylor felt his heart fight itself, attempting to focus on the actual conversation and take comfort from it; from the confident assurance that Mike was not interested in Jake, nor vice versa. But his gaze was focused on the co-pilot, as he watched Jake for a full minute in comfortable silence, his fond smile slowly fading, only as he leaned forward. "Hey." He said seriously, and Taylor felt a rush of irrational panic, desperately hoping the man wasn't about to confess his secret, undying devotion.

"What's up?" Jake asked warmly, glancing over with a raised brow, before looking over fully, frowning in concern.

"... I'm scared." Mike confessed in a small voice, his eyes locked onto Jake's dogtags, unable to meet his eyes.

"Mike..." Jake murmured, reaching over to squeeze his friends hand reassuringly. Taylor felt himself torn between his emotions. Relieved, that neither were revealing closely guarded secret crushes. Guilty, that he felt relieved, when he knew only too well what would happen. Remorse, that either man had been forced to live through the event itself. Finally, he felt shame, for being unable to shake his jealousy of Mike; the other man too large for Taylor to compare to.

"I know we gotta do this. I know its the right thing. I know Lundgren's gotta be stopped." Mike said, shaking his head as he took a nervous deep breath. "But the minute we land this plane, and walk into that Generals office... Our lives change forever." He said, his eyes narrowing briefly concern, before finally darting up to meet Jake's clear gaze. "Lundgren's powerful, and ruthless. He's gonna send people after us... after our  _families..."_

"Look." Jake said, squeezing Mike's hand again, though Taylor felt like the pilot were squeezing his heart instead. "I'm scared too. But I trust in the system. I  _believe_  in justice." He said confidently, and Taylor was reminded of their conversation the previous evening, of Jake's loss of faith and his resolution to face his fears anyway. He felt a tiny prickle of pride, pushing through his heartache, and he grasped if tightly, hoping it would keep his irrational thoughts at bay. "Lundgren's been seeking U.S. weapons to our own enemies. He's turned us all into mercenaries, working for the highest bidder." Jake growled in disgust, taking a deep breath to calm himself, before grinning confidently at his friend. "When we tell everyone what he's done, they'll listen. They'll protect us. And he'll  _pay."_  Jake assured, as Mike stared at him with a tiny rueful grin.

"I wish I had your certainty." Mike sighed, shaking his head despondently, as Jake's gaze softened.

"We already made our choice, kid." Jake said, lightly bumping his fist to Mike's jaw with a wink. "All we have is now." He said, smiling softly.

Taylor felt his heart choke, and he firmly told himself it was not the same way Jake looked at him; that the pilot was not looking at someone else, with such content affection in his cerulean eyes. He felt his chest ache, as he tried to hold onto his hope and pride; refusing to let his jealousy weedle at him.

"Was that..." Mike asked, arching an eyebrow in amusement. His face slowly blossomed into a beautiful smile, and Taylor felt his heart sink at the other mans palpable affection all around him. "A  _nickname?"_

Jake snorted, shaking his head as his eyes blazed with fond amusement. "Not on your l-" his denial was cut off abruptly, by the blare of an alarm, and Taylor felt his heart begin to race; wishing he could escape somehow and not bare witness to the event he knew to be approaching. "What the hell?" Jake gasped, leaning forward in his seat as they turned serious.

Mike slid over, looking at the panels in disbelief, his face falling slowly.  _"Damn."_  He breathed, shaking his head. "We've got a row of surface to air missile launchers on the ridge!"

"What? That's  _impossible!"_  Jake cried, his eyes wide as he looked from the windscreen to his co-pilot. "They're all supposed to be on the other side of the mountains!" He said, urgently flipping switches and pressing buttons.

"Well, they're here!" Mike exclaimed back, mimicking Jake's actions as he raced through sequences. "And they're locking onto us  _fast!"_

The pair were silent in their panic for a moment, before Jake looked over at Mike with sudden realisation. "Lundgren..." He whispered in disbelief, his hands clenching tightly at his yoke. "He freakin' found out!"

" _Oh my god._ " Mike said, his eyes wide with fear as he looked back at Jake. "This whole mission was just a-" he broke off suddenly, as down below them, the ground shuddered; and several missiles launched skyward.

"Evasive maneuvers!" Jake barked roughly, his expression morphing into a scowl, as he confidently twisted the plane through the air.

"Oh god..." Mike muttered, glancing at Jake periodically as he helped steer the plane. "Oh no..."

"Hang on, Mike!" Jake growled, as the alarm continued to bleat at them in terror. "Just... hang... on..." He demanded, as he pushed down on the yoke, ducking them beneath a missile; but three more were visible through the windshield, racing toward them intently. "I can't dodge 'em all. We gotta eject." Jake ordered, flipping more switches and punching different buttons. A light turned green, and he grabbed his eject lever. "Ready?" He asked, hesitating as he looked over at Mike, only to see him frozen in fear, the light on his console remaining a blazing red.

"Mine's jammed." He said quietly, staring at the missiles rocketing closer to them in blatant fear.

"You've gotta be kidding." Jake choked, his hand releasing his lever as he pointed to the console furiously. "Rip open that panel!" He ordered, scowling as he tried to reach over himself. "It's the wiring-"

"There's no time, Jake." Mike said, cutting him off as he looked over with sad acceptance. "You gotta go." He pleaded, and Taylor felt his heart fall to pieces, as the friends gazes met.

"Like  _hell!"_  Jake snarled, his clear eyes blazing with fury. "You're one  _dumb sumbitch,_  if you think I'm leaving you here!"

"... We already made our choice, kid." Mike said, repeating Jake's words with a sad smile, as he reached over and yanked Jake's eject lever.

 _"Mike, no!"_  Jake cried, desperately grabbing for his friend, as Mike pulled his arm back quickly.

"All we have is-" He began, only to be drowned out, as blasting pins fired, tearing off the cockpit ceiling. Jake's seat launched out of the plane, just as two missiles impacted the hull with a deafening explosion.

 ** _"Miiiiike!"_**  Jake screamed, his raw pain clawing permanent wounds into Taylors heart, as the plane ripped apart, showering the sky in debris.

Taylor choked, his heart breaking, as he was also ejected, hurtling through time once more.  _Please... I can't do this_... He thought desperately, his heart bleeding from the deep scars, as he fell into an all too familiar jail cell.  _No..!_  Taylor pleaded, wishing he could close his eyes and blot it all out; as he recognised the room from Zahra's idol vision. 

Taylor felt his heart try to implode, as he watched Jake angrily pace around, his hands held together by thick metal shackles. He muttered to himself in a constant growl, almost animalistic after so long imprisoned. He was slightly older, battered and bruised but still as fiery tempered as he had ever been. 

The captive pilot suddenly spun towards a camera, mounted in the corner of the room. " _Hey! Phony Stark! You watching?!"_  He yelled, his voice hoarse from what must have been countless taunts and similar yells over the years. Taylor was overcome with heartbreak, as he stared at his pilot, clearly heavily beaten; but never broken. " _You tuned in to the Jake Channel_?!" His pilot snarled, as Taylor drank in every detail of him for the second time, though getting a front row view this time around. Jake's hair was indeed slightly longer, matted in places from neglect, though he clearly didn't care about his appearance. " _What, ain't nothin' better on?_!" He yelled, glaring directly at the camera, as he flipped the bird at it.

 _"I ain't gonna dance for you! I ain't gonna be one of your lackeys!_ " He growled ferociously, baring his teeth as he shook his heavily bound hands at the camera.  ** _"Never!"_**  He yelled, veins popping on his neck in his ire. " _But if you're looking for some entertainment, how about you and me, outside, no guns?!_ " He snarled, his eyes blazing with a hatred so profound, Taylor felt his heart ache desperately for whatever pain he'd been forced to endure over the years to cause it. " _I'll give you a show, you piece of-"_

Taylors heart wept for his pilot, at the sheer fury and pain radiating from him, as the pilot snarled and raged like a caged animal. Jake turned towards the sound of an angry fist pounding on his cell door, and Taylor saw a soldier on the other side, lean in through the grate. 

" **Keep your mouth shut in there, prisoner!** " The soldier ordered sharply, only for Jake to growl and pace closer to the door.

" _Why don't you come in here and make me, Peter Parker_?" He sneered, glaring at the Arachnid troop hatefully. " _Or you too scared?_ " He taunted, his fingers clenching around his shackles hopefully.

" **Why would I bother**..." The Arachnid soldier asked in feigned confusion, tilting their head curiously. " **When I can do this..?** " They asked sweetly, slamming their fist down on a button near the wall. 

Taylor desperately wished he could give voice to the cry of sympathy and denial he could feel bubbling in his chest, but he was instead forced to watch in agonized silence, as a current surged through the metallic floor; electrocuting Jake.

 _"Urgghhhh!"_  Jake growled furiously, crumpling to the floor and panting heavily, as the guard at his door laughed hysterically.

" **Five years, man**." The guard chortled, their hand raising to their helmet in amusement. " **Five years, I've been doing that... Never gets old."**  They snorted, clearing their throat as they regained a small amount of composure. " **Now then... You ready to play nice?** " Taylor saw Jake growl, clutching his shackles tightly as his head raised slowly towards the guard. He sighed in fond recognition of his pilots stubborn streak, even as his heart ached for the pain it would not doubt cost him. " **Or am I gonna have to g** -" the guard was cut off suddenly, as an alarm blared out overhead. Red lights flashed, and klaxons bellowed, as Jake noticeably perked; pushing to his feet with a predatory smirk, as the guard outside began to panic. " **What the hell**?"

With a crackle, a voice came onto the loudspeaker, and Taylor saw the recognition flare in Jake's eyes. " _Attention, all Rourke goons. This is a pre-recorded announcement, from Security Chief Nazami."_  Zahra said, as Jake chuckled dryly, shaking his head as he looked up at the speaker in disbelief. " _If you're hearing this, it means I've just activated the Killswitch Protocol. Which means; **you're**  pretty much  **screwed."**_  She said smugly.

"Way to go, Skrillex..." Jake murmured, seeming shocked by the fondness he seemed to find himself feeling.

" _I've set all the reactors to overload, so in about twenty minutes, nothing'll be left of this compound, but a smouldering crater. Have a nice day now, and burn in hell_." Zahra said cheerfully, just before the message cut off.

The guard stared at the speaker in stunned silence, just as the cell door slid open. "Well, well,  _well."_  Jake said smugly, his hateful snarl locked onto the tormenting guard. Taylors heart lurched, knowing the pilots intent, and knowing he would relish every second.

 **"Crap!"**  The guard swore, diving for the button; but Jake was faster. He leaped, rolled, and lunged forward; tackling the guard around the waist.  **"Grrrk!"**  They choked, as Jake slammed them into the opposite wall. With his wrists still shackled, he yanked put the guards sidearm, and shit them twice in the head.

"Payback's a  _bitch."_  He spat, throwing the guards body aside carelessly, and rushing forward. The inside of the MASADA compound was in total chaos, with guards running around frantically, shouting and scrambling. Other prisoners rushed out of their own cells, fighting them in a wild melee. Jake ignored them all, looking around and espying an open doorway, leading out to a hangar. "There it is..." He breathed gleefully, and Taylors heart soared, hope flooding him as he saw the fueled up, cargo helicopter sitting on the helipad. 

 _Yes, yes, yes!_  He cheered, as Jake stared at it longingly.  _Go, Jake, go!_  He thought, as horror shot through him; when Jake turned and ran the other way.  _Not that way, you idiot!_  He pleaded, his heart crushing itself beneath its grief, as Jake charged deeper into the compound.  _Oh god, please... No, just go! Whatever it is, it isn't worth it!_

Five minutes passed, and Taylor felt his heart sink with every passing second that he had to watch the pilot fight and snarl, instead of flying away to safety. Finally, Jake staggered through the doors of the stasis lab. He held a rifle, and he'd been roughed up considerably, even bleeding from a bullet wound in his thigh. Behind him, lay a trail of dead Arachnid soldiers. 

 _"Hff... Hffff..."_  He panted, as he limped forward with one hand on his wound, pushing through the room, until stopping suddenly; having found the pod he was looking for. With a trembling hand, and a deep look of relief, he used the console to the side of it. The pod slid open, and Taylor was stunned senseless, upon seeing his own limp body; slick with slime, fall out of the pod and into Jake's arms.

"Come on..." Jake murmured, as they fell to the floor together. "Come on...  _Wake up!"_  He pleaded, brushing the slime from thr sleeping Taylors face tenderly, wearing the first soft expression the watching Taylor had yet seen in this awful future.

He watched his own eyes open with a blink, adjusting to the light slowly. "... Jake..?" He croaked, his eyes widening as he took in the state of his pilot. "What-"

 _"There's_  my sleeping beauty..." Jake huffed, his heavy relief palpable all around them, as he beamed a joyous smile down at Taylor.

"Where..." The vision Taylor asked, his hand rising weakly to Jake's matted hair with a frown. "How..."

"You've been frozen for a long time..." Jake admitted quietly, swallowing heavily, as he visibly choked back his emotions and forced a gentle smile to his lips, his eyes softening as he looked down at Taylor. "But you're here now. _I got you_." He said, trailing off to a rough and emotional whisper. Taylor felt his heart yearn for his pilot, feeling his jealousy for Mike crumble to a weak weed, beneath the devotion he felt for Jake. The pilots blatant devotion to him almost earned forgiveness for the recklessness of coming back for him.

"How..." The vision Taylor hedged, staring up at Jake as his body twitched, recovering from the long, enforced slumber. "How long..?"

"Five years, almost." Jake said quietly, before shaking his head and taking a deep breath, a tiny excited grin tugging at his lips. "I'll explain it all later. Right now, the two of us got a plane to catch." He said, sliding his arm under Taylors shoulder, helping his weakened body to its feet. "Now, come on... It's just this way." He said, tipping his head towards the door.

A gunshot rang out, and Taylor felt his heart jolt to a stop, as he watched Jake stiffen; stunned, before looking down to see the front of his shirt darken with blood.  _No, no, no, no, no! Jake_! He cried desperately in his mind, wishing he could do something, anything to stop the slowly spreading stain.

"Not...  _now."_  Jake coughed, falling to his knees. Taylor of the vision spun, to see a familiar figure looming in the shadows, a pistol in their hands.

" **Don't move**." Mouse ordered, the emotionless voice just as disconcerting as ever.

 _"No!"_  Taylor screamed, a denial he echoed in his mind as he watched the scene unfold. Mouse stepped closer, as Taylor scrambled back, weak from atrophy, unable to escape. 

 _"Hrrr!"_  Jake growled, throwing himself at Mouse, just as they pulled the trigger, taking out their legs. They wrestled on the floor, until Jake managed to slip the chain of his wrist shackles around Mouse's neck.

On his back, with Mouse pinned on top of him, Jake pulled back as hard as he could. Finally, the soldiers neck snapped with a brittle crack, and they fell limp. "Jake..." Taylor calls, struggling to cross the lab, to where Jake lay beneath the soldiers corpse.  _"Jake!"_  He cried again, as he pushed the dead soldier off Jake, and saw the blood spreading further across his chest. Already, the pilot was pale and weak, the life fading from him quickly due to his exersion.

 _Please, no... Please don't make me watch this again_... Taylor thought desperately, watching regardless, as the vision Taylor fell apart.

"No..." He pleaded, his hands pressing to the wound futilely, before running over the dying pilot restlessly. _"No, no, no_..." He cried, finally giving up and leaning close, as he shook the pilot's shoulders lightly. "Stay with  _me,_  Jake!"

 _"Run..."_  Jake whispered, his breath ragged as he stared at Taylors face longingly. "Get outta here... The place is..." He choked, breaking off to cough weakly. "Gonna blow..."

" _I can't just leave you!_ " Taylor screamed, tears coursing from his eyes as he desperately tried to deny what was happening.

Jake reached up to gently stroke Taylors hair, a beautiful smile blossoming on his face, as he stared up at Taylor adoringly. "At least I got to see you..." He whispered, his eyes soft and shimmering with unwept tears of his own.  _"One_  last time." He sighed, his mouth still curled into a soft smile as his eyes fluttered closed, and his life faded away. Taylor watched himself crumple over the pilot, utterly broken by his loss, as the vision flickered.

He blinked, suddenly back in Theoretical Prismatics, and he realized that he was already crying. "What-" Jake's question was cut off, as Taylor threw his arms around him tightly.

 _"Nng!"_  A rough sob choked it's way from his chest as he tried to reassure himself that Jake was fine, breathing; alive. "I..." He choked, his chest heaving as Jake gripped him back firmly, seeming to understand his need for physical contact, despite his own obvious distress. Taylor gave up trying to explain, instead burying his face in the side of Jake's neck, as he allowed his grief to pour from his heart.

When Jake seemed to sense the worst of Taylors near hysteria had passed, he eased away slightly, gentling the hug as he brushed his lips against Taylors temple affectionately. "Hey..." He whispered, raising his hand to brush Taylors tears away, as he finally braved looking up from the pilots neck. "It's alright." He assured softly, his eyes roving over Taylor worriedly.

Taylor nodded, taking a deep, trembling breath to steady himself. He pressed a chaste kiss to the pilots lips, filled with gratitude and love he hadn't been able to give the pilot in the vision. "Thankyou, Jake..." He said quietly, as he pulled back, meeting the pilots eyes with a fractured gaze.

"For what?" Jake asked, frowning in concern as he rubbed Taylors back gently. "What happened..?"

"... For something you'll  _never_  have to do." Taylor said with a deep sigh, forcing a tiny smile to his lips. "Not after today." He said, his voice firmer and more confident as he assured himself that the pilot would soon be out of Rourke's reach.

Jake frowned at him worriedly for a moment, before painting a warm smile on his face, seemingly sensing Taylors reluctance to voice whatever he'd seen. "Sometimes I can't keep up with your riddles..." The pilot snorted, shaking his  head fondly as he relaxed slightly, sweeping Taylors damp hair gently from his brow. "Come on." He said, stepping back and tugging at their laced fingers. "Let's find this Gate and get you home." He said, grinning widely.

"Urgh..." Taylor groaned, his stomach clenching painfully at the reminder of leaving. "Top Gun..." He said, biting his lip nervously. "What if-?"

"C'mon, Taylor." Jake said quietly, winking at him confidently. "Together, right?" He said, as he turned towards the others. Taylor swallowed heavily, looking down at the gleaming idol in his white knuckled grip, before shoving it roughly into his bag.

 _Please... Let this work_... He thought, moving through the lab at Jake's side, as his hut churned restlessly.  _Please, let me go with him..._

"Oh wow..." Grace gasped, standing before a yawning cylindrical chamber. "Guys, come look at this!" She cried, gesturing to a narrow catwalk threading through the middle; ending in a colossal, panelled sphere.

 _"Whoa..."_  Craig whistled, gazing at the sphere with a nervous frown. "Is this...  _it?"_

"The Lernaean Gate." Aleister announced formally, his eyes roving over the device with obvious respect and admiration.

"We...  _actually_  made it." Michelle said, shaking her head in disbelief. Taylor stepped away from the group, eager to discard his Arachnid disguise. When he was finally free of it, he tossed it carelessly to the ground, and was prepared to forget all about it, when he hesitated; quickly reclaiming his weapon and strapping it over his shoulder, before moving away to join Zahra at the computer terminal.

"Any idea how to turn it on?" He asked, telling himself he was an over cautious idiot. But, if I really can't go... It won't be long after these guys disappear, that Rourke and his new pets show up down here. He thought, sucking in a deep breath as he forced himself to clamp down on his raging emotions.

"Looks like the power coupling leads here." Zahra said, pointing to a steel plate between two large electrodes. A pile of dust sat in the center of the plate, and Taylor exchanged a knowing glance with the hacker as she snorted. "Whatever they tried to power this with last time got burnt out, fast." She said, clucking her tongue as she clicked her fingers and pointed to Taylors bag. "Gimme." She demanded, and Taylor snorted at her attitude.

"Hey, don't tell me what to do." He grumbled, grinning as he lifted and opened his bag. He watched as she narrowed her eyes ar him, smirking as she reached over and pulled the Islands Heart from within, careful to keep it away from Taylor himself. "You know, this might ens up sucking big time for you..." She warned, as Taylor scowled and nudged her with his elbow.

"Thanks for the warning." He snorted, frowning as he considered the effect the Hearts use might actually have on him. He sighed, looking toward Varyyn, as the Elyyshar approached. "You sure about this, Varyyn?" He asked, nervous energy bubbling in his gut. "If the Heart isn't powerful enough, it could be destroyed." He said, biting his lip as he wondered what kind of reaction he might have to such an event.

"You have risked greatly for my people, Taylor." Varyyn said, clapping his hand on Taylors shoulder warmly. "Now, we will risk this for you." 

Zahra nodded at the Elyyshar, and placed the Heart between the electrodes and Taylor stepped back quickly, as the console hummed to life.

"That's a good sound, right?" Raj asked eagerly, smiling brightly as he high fived himself. "I think it's a good sound!"

"The sphere!" Quinn gasped, pointing to where the giant mechanism had begun to rotate slowly, though it was quickly picking up speed. Irs panels began to break off, orbiting the center strangely, to reveal a pulsating ball of energy within.

Taylor gasped, backing up several steps as energy rolled over him in waves. "It... It works!" Aleister choked, his eyes wide in awe, while Taylor firmly closed his own.

"The targeting's live!" Zahra said, hurrying over to join the group. "I put in Hartfeld's coordinates."

"We should hurry." Michelle said, looking around them all urgently. "We managed to sneak all the way down here, but they're definitely gonna notice this big of an energy  spike!"

"Uh, are we sure it's safe?" Diego asked, eyeing the Gate nervously.

"Only one way to find out." Sean said firmly, taking Michelle's hand in his own without even noticing.

Everyone watched the swirling portal anxiously, as it crackled with electricity. Everyone; except Taylor, who huddled at the back of the group with his eyes clenched tight, and his hands over his ears. He panted roughly, his heart racing as his gut twisted with uncertainty and fear. _Remember, remember; the message from sender, the space and the time we forgot_... The words ran through his mind so fast, he wasn't sure he had truly thought them. As soon as he tried to focus on them, they were gone, lost; forgotten. He slowly opened his eyes, and his breath caught, upon seeing his friends; all those he loved so dearly, before the portal that would take them all to safety. 

He released a shaky sigh, and glanced over at Jake, who was staring at the portal with a fearful expression, which Taylor expected was similar to his own. He slowly ran his eyes over Quinn, bravely staring at the portal with the intent to reunite her parents. Michelle, who stared in determination, her hand clasped within Sean's as she returned to the perfectly planned life she'd left behind. He swallowed, stepping up to his friends, his family, and pushed aside all of his own fears; smiling as he nudged them all forward. "Let's do this together." He said, as everyone turned towards him in surprise. "This is it." He said simply, ignoring the glimmer of a fearful twitch in his gut. "Together, we've faced dangers none of us could even dream of..." He said, shaking his head in awe. "If you guys are by my side, there's nothing we can't overcome." He said, his throat constricting as he gazed at his friends proudly, deciding if it ws the final time he saw them; he was pleased they all looked so happy.

"Compared to some of the things we've seen, a purple death vortex is basically a cake walk!" Craig cheered, pumping the air with his fist, as he grinned over at Taylor.

"I'm with you, Taylor!" Grace cheered, her eyes dancing with hope and determination as she smiled at him. "All the way!"

Taylor watched as one by one, his friends all joined hands on the catwalk. Just before Diego moved to join them, he looked at Varyyn with obvious heartache, and Taylor desperately wished his friend could stay. "So, Varyyn... After we're through, take the Heart, and get outta here." He said, sniffling as his hands raised to the Vaanti's chest, jabbing him lightly. "Don't get caught, okay?" He demanded, his voice breaking as he shook his head brokenly. "I wouldn't be able to forgive myself..."

"You would not be able to know, either way." Varyyn said bluntly, though not unlindly, his arms folding themselves around Diego's shoulders, and drawing him into a sift embrace.

"... I'd know." Diego said quietly, his eyes finally unable to hold back their shimmering tears any longer.  _"Somehow,_  I'd know." He whispered, as Varyyn's lip trembled. He leaned down and kissed Diego, one last time.

"I will wait for you, Diego." He promised, his own tears falling as Diego stepped away, slowly backing towards the group.

"For a million years?" Diego asked, his lips twitching in the parody of a smile.

"For  _eternity."_  Varyyn replied, as Diego covered his mouth with his hand and forced himself to turn away. Taylor met Varyyn's broken gaze, and nodded to the Vaanti, swallowing hard in an attempt to wash away his own grief.

He turned, only to find Jake hanging back on his own, his expression nervous and torn. "... Jake?" He called softly, and Jake started slightly, before sighing heavily.

"I've been running for so long, I feel like it's all I know." He admitted, running a hand through his hair in nervous agitation. "From Lundgren. From the law. From Mike's parents." He said, not noticing Taylors wince, as he saw a flash of Mike's face, right before the missiles struck the plane. "Right now, all my body wants to do is keep running..." He confessed, drawing in a deep sigh and locking his gaze with Taylors, as his eyes filled with determination. "But I can't run forever." He said, stepping up beside Taylor. "You and me, Boy Scout... We're gonna make things right, and make these bastards pay."

 _"Jake..."_  Taylor gasped quickly, before he could change his mind. "I'm scared." He said, his gut churning once more as the final moment approached.

Jake smirked at him cockily, as he leaned forward and captured Taylors lips in a passionate and empowering kiss. "I got you." He whispered as he drew back, winkinf, before moving away to join the others on the catwalk.

"Goodbye, my friends." Varyyn called, his cheeks damp with tears. "It was, the greatest honour of my life, to know you." He said, bowing his head low to them.

"Can we please move this along?" Aleister demanded, eyeing the portal with a dubious scowl. "The radiation  _cannot_  be good for our health!"

"You ready, Boy Scout?" Jake asked, as Taylor rapidly shook his head, his emotions too thick in his throat to answer verbally. His entire body trembled, as he stepped up to join his friends, moving to his pilots side and slipping his hand into Jake's, gripping it desperately.

"Oh good." Jake sighed in feigned relief, trying to reassure him with humour. "I thought for a second, I was gonna have to hold Malfoy's hand instead." 

Taylor snorted, glancing up at Jake fondly, as he curled into his side and pretended he didn't know how badly his body was beginning to shiver. "Why?" He choked, his breath escaping him in a shaky huff, as he closed his eyes. "You nervous?" He giggled, the sound closer to hysterical than he would have liked to admit. Jake squeezed his hand tightly, and taylor peeled his eyes open to meet the pilots clear and confident gaze. 

" _Not anymore."_  Jake said quietly, squeezing his hand again in reassurance, as Quinn stepped up to Taylors other side and snagged his free hand.

"It's okay, Taylor." She whispered, squeezing with her own reassurance. "You saved us, now let  _us_  save  _you..."_  She said quietly, as Taylors heart swelled with gratitude for his friends and his pilot. The twelve of them encircled the sphere, preparing themselves as they sensed the moment arriving.

"Everyone, together." Sean said firmly, looking around quickly as he squeezed Michelle and Craig's hands.

"One..." Quinn said, looking over at Michelle, while squeezing Taylors hand.

"Two..." Grace chanted, looking up at Aleister warmly, as he smiled softly at her.

"Three." Jake said firmly, squeezing Taylors hand as they all stepped into the light, together.

 _"Gah!"_  Taylor gasped, feeling himself stretch and shrink, dissolve and reconstitute; transmitted across dimensions and falling through quantum foam. Through it all, Jake and Quinn kept firm hold of him, as he squirmed and trembled, a powerful of nausea building in his gut. He panted heavily, his hands feeling clanmy and hot in the tight grip of the others, and he tugged at them firmly, trying to free them as they grew hotter.  _"Nng!"_  He groaned, his skin seeming to itch all over, as he finally felt something solid beneath his feet. However, the solid thing immediately collided with his knees, before it seemed to crash into his shoulder, and pain erupted from the area's sharply.

"Just hold on, Taylor,  _hold on_!" Jake called, his voice distorted by a ringing in Taylors ears. 

"What's  _happening_  to him?!" Diego demanded fearfully, as Taylors breath became laboured, his heart hammering wildly as he choked for tiny drags of air.

" _Shut up and let me work already!"_  Michelle snarled, her hands moving rapidly over his thrashing body.

 _"Ah!"_  Taylor choked, whimpering as a firm arm curled around his chest and rolled him to lean over it on his front, before a second hand collided hard with his back. He coughed heavily, a thick and slimy substance escaping him in a rush. He felt the large hand on his back rubbing in soothing motions, as he panted frantically, dragging air into his starved lungs. He winced, as a blinding light filled his vision, gradually fading to a blurry haze, as his head throbbed.

"You know, I'd take boring, right about now..." He heard Jake sigh, the pilots arm shifting slightly, turning him over on his arm. He looked up blearily, his heart still racing, as he caught sight of Jake's relieved face, framed by his other friends concerned expressions.

"You'd hate boring..." Taylor croaked, wincing as his throat burnt. He swallowed heavily, groaning at the building pain in his head.

"I'd hate it a  _whole lot less_  than you coughing up green sludge..." The pilot replied uneasily, his eyes darting to something nearby which Taylor didn't even want to think about looking at.

"Turn the heat down, guys..." He muttered distractedly, groaning as he shifted uncomfortably on Jake's arm, the heat around him unbearable.

"Wish we could, Boy Scout..." Jake huffed, brushing his hand gently across Taylors brow, before squinting up at their surroundings despondently. "Think maybe you were right about not leavin' the island..." He added in a quiet undertone, for Taylors ears alone.

"Jake..?" He groaned, his head pounding as he turned slightly, to see a colossal volcano disgorging fire and smoke into the sky. An ocean of smoldering lava, flowed to the horizon, and Taylor gasped in broken realisation. " _Mount Atropo... Oh no_..." He choked, turning his wide eyes up to Jake's, before collapsing back into the pilots arms, his exhaustion stealing him away into darkness.


	16. You Can't Promise Anything Anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im actually in a major funk right now. I was sonexcited when i got this finished; went througj and edited and it was like... 9pm - excellent because it meant i had lots of time to start working on the next chapter.
> 
> Someone had unplugged the wifi. So here i am half eleven, finally finished again and just hoping i havent missed anything because my phone already hates me enoufg as it is...
> 
> Pheeew...  
> Okay, sorry. Thats done now.
> 
> I think for the most part im happy with this... but, ill wait to hear what you guys think before i cant judgement on it being a good chapter ;p
> 
> I hope soooo much that you enjoy this - and if im lucky i will be able to get this next xhapter started now still...
> 
> Thankyou so... so... SO MUCH for all your amazing, fabulous, oh my god so awesome comments! Theyve been so inspiring and wonderful. Just, thankyou. Youre amazing.
> 
> x My love to you all x

_**Dear Jake;** _

_I have this habit of falling into your arms it seems, whenever I'm unconscious. Or maybe it's you with the habit; always the knight in shining armour, coming to the rescue of your very own damsel in distress. Either way, we seem to fit._

_I can't begin to explain how scared I was, though I know everyone else was too... It's just, it's hard... Knowing, and not knowing together._

_Knowing something awful was coming. Knowing I wouldn't be able to stop it._

_Not knowing if we were going to die in that awful world, after everything we'd been through... Not knowing if that awful future was about to come true after all._..

**16.**

**You Can't Promise Anything Anymore.**

Taylor glared into the white glow around him, frustration nipping at his short temper, as he strolled aimlessly through the blank scenery around him. He came across windows on occasion, hanging in the air like a painting on a hook, but they rarely showed him anything he felt compelled to view.

One had shown Raj, the large boy having gotten stuck in a rotating elevator, torn between nausea and amusement as Craig and Zahra spun him around endlessly.

Another had shown Diego, lovingly brushing his beard with what Taylor felt certain was a toy comb, made of cheap plastic. He'd constantly murmured sweet nothings to his beard reassuringly, and if that wasn't disturbing enough to Taylor, the careful application of a lotion suspiciously similar to conditioner; most certainly was. Taylor felt utterly assured that the names, Horatio, Hidalgo, Hershel, Haymitch and Heathcliff; would traumatize him for the rest of his natural life.

A third window had revealed Quinn, giggling as she sketched in a giant pad of paper. Taylor had immediately felt suspicious of the mischievous quirk to the redheads lips, and the small glimpse of tongue between her teeth, as she concentrated. He'd been shocked to see Grace was with her, gesturing eagerly between Quinn's drawing pad, and her own notepad while giggling excitedly.

He'd frowned suspiciously, when Grace began to scribble furiously once more, before pausing briefly to point at something on Quinn's page, confirming something quickly before she continuing once more with her rapid scribbling. Stepping around the window, had given him a prime view of their laps, and he'd staggered backwards in shock; upon seeing Grace writing a highly detailed account of his relationship with Jake, as Quinn drew a storyboard to go with it.

Upon reading several lines of Grace's depictions however, he'd flushed in embarrassment, quite certain he had no recollection of such things, and entirely certain he'd never been in possession of either animal ears or a tail.

Taylor snorted, shaking his head as he remembered the pair giggling excitedly, and he made a mental note to have a serious discussion with them about personal boundaries. He looked up as he approached another window, peering around its sharp edge cautiously, hesitant to look inside incase he was bombarded with more perverse pictures of himself with his pilot, or of his friends in awkwardly intimate situations with their facial hair.

However, upon noticing a red glow to the image, he stepped closer. He looked into the world he recalled from shortly before he had arrived in the strange memory complex, as he'd come to call it. The huge Mount Atropo, looming across the entire horizon; a terrifying backdrop to a scene which sparked horror deep within him.

" _My god, it's... it's erupting! The volcano's erupting!_ " Taylor flinched, as he stepped through the window, to find himself not in the ruined landscape he'd left, but a beautiful ocean view from a control tower, similar to the one he had visited with Jake. A familiar desperate and panicked voice rang out from beside him, and he turned to see a middle aged man peering through a great window, to where Mount Atropo seemed to be swelling, growing larger as it spewed forth its fury. " _And, there's something else! Not just, ash... But, oh no... Oh no_ -" Taylor looked around with a hollowness in his heart, watching as men and women ran along the beach, grabbing children into their arms as they fled the approaching tidal waves of lava.

He sighed in resignation, understanding there was nothing he could do, before he turned away despondently. His attention was drawn towards a strange rippling tear in the glass, a short ways away from the man. He frowned curiously, stepping forward and walking straight through to a hectic command center, where people ran back and forth frantically; as a huge display on the wall magnified Mount Atropo's fury.

 _"This is unbelievable... the La Huerta volcano is erupting, but..."_  A woman whispered brokenly, pausing as something between a sob and a hysteric giggle escaped her, before she continued in a choked voice. " _It's not like anything I've ever seen... There's some kind of, energy? Discharge_?" She said uncertainly, as Taylor approached her, frowning up at the strange glittering substance which flew free with the volcano's natural discharge.  _"It's spreading, so fast... it's burning everything..! Oh no... It's coming straight at us... No... No!"_

Taylor shivered, looking away as the woman buried her face in her hands, seeming to understand there was nothing she could do to stop the volcano's path of destruction. Taylor felt the command centre shudder, and the bustling bodies all seemed to stop as one, as the display cut out suddenly. He swallowed, the image seeming to turn hazy, steam clouding the room.

He blinked, and the command centre disappeared, leaving Taylor feeling disorientated as he peered around a calm cliffside. He stepped toward the edge, taking a deep breath as the calm waters beneath him sparkled playfully. A dark shadow loomed over the cliffside suddenly, and Taylor looked up to see Mount Atropo swelling, dark clouds materialising quickly around it; swallowing a small plane amid fiery, orange balls of lightning.  _That-!_  He thought, gasping as the realization struck.

" _God help us all."_  Came a broken and gravelly whisper from behind him, and he turned to see an old man, watching the unnatural storm expand towards him. Taylor felt an overwhelming rush of sadness, as he looked back at the volcano, which was spluttering angrily, the dark clouds expanding towards the small island where the old man sat, watching knowingly. " _God help us all._ " He whispered brokenly, before the world erupted into a fiery blast of red.

Taylor gasped, and the first thing he became aware of, was the heat. The second thing he became aware of, was the tight hold around his chest and shoulders, holding him still as he thrashed awake. "Easy, easy, I got you..." Jake murmured, before calling over his shoulder.  _"He's awake!"_

"That was fast..!" Michelle choked, rushing over to press her hands to Taylors cheeks, forcing his wild eyes to focus on her. "Taylor, calm down. It's okay; you're okay now."

Taylor groaned, swatting her hands away and pushing her back roughly, rolling onto his side as he retched and brought up a small glob of green slime. He coughed, gasping for breath as he rolled back into the pilots lap several long seconds later, gazing up to the darkened sky tiredly. "Hey, Boy Scout... You still with me?" Jake asked, wiping his clammy brow with his jacket sleeve gently.

"Urgh..." He groaned, rolling his eyes to find Jake's panicked face watching him avidly. "I feel like... I just went one on one with a lawnmower... And I was  _not_  the victor." He huffed raggedly, and Jake's shoulders slumped in obvious relief at his attempt at humour.

"Hey, you're here, ya made it..." Jake said gruffly, squeezing his shoulders gently as Taylor groaned.  _"You're okay."_

"Not so sure about that, Top Gun." Taylor said lightly, as he was wracked by another coughing fit. "... How long-" He cut off when he heard Craig and Zahra begin arguing, and he groaned as his head throbbed at the raised voices.

"Dammit, Z!" Craig roared, gesturing toward her angrily. "You got the coordinates wrong!"

"No, I didn't!" Zahra rebuffed with a furious scowl, shoving his shoulder roughly. "I wouldn't make that dumb a mistake!"

"Urgh, shut up already..." Taylor groaned, holding his head as he tried to sit up. Jake helped him maneuver into an upright position, but he immediately lurched forward, coughing and gagging on more toxic, green slime. "Urgh,  _so_  gross..." He groaned, panting as he spat on the discharge in disgust. He leaned back against Jake tiredly, who was glaring at Michelle pointedly, as she tried to get close enough to Taylor to examine him. "There's nothing you can do," Taylor said quietly, to which Michelle snorted and met his tired eyes with a brief glare.

" _Shut up, Taylor_." She sneered, tying her hair into a ponytail with a band she kept around her wrist, before checking him over thoroughly.

"What she said." Jake growled in his ear, as Taylor huffed in weak amusement. He peeked up at the pilot and raised his hand to gently pat his cheek.

"Told you, Top Gun..." He murmured quietly, his eyes drifting closed in his exhaustion. "Leaving the island was never for me." He sighed, as Michelle drew back from him.

"I don't... I don't understand..." She said, as Taylor peeled his eyes open and looked up at her knowingly. He reached for her hand, squeezing it gently in reassurance. "He... His body is, its just shutting down! There's no-"

"It's okay..." He said calmly, squeezing her hand again, before pushing her away, as he was overwhelmed by another bout of coughing. "You guys can't stay here..." He choked tiredly, as he flipped back against Jake's chest, the pilot holding onto him fiercely, as if that would prevent his body from failing.

"Where the hell even  _is_  here?!" Michelle demanded, almost hysterical as she came to realise there was nothing she could do to stop Taylors rapid deterioration.

"Look around," Taylor snorted, gesturing to where the clock tower, stadium and library were still partially in tact. "You recognise it, right?" He hissed, as he tried to push to his feet.

"Hey! Just, take it easy-" Jake began, only for Taylor to swat his shoulder weakly, looking up at him with a soft, resigned gaze.

"It's not going to slow down just because I'm laying down. I might as well be doing something..." He huffed, as Jake grimaced and looped his arm under Taylors shoulders, helping him to his feet reluctantly. "The gate worked, guys. You're home." He said, tipping his head towards the fiery hellscape around them.

"It's..." Grace choked, staring around in disbelief, as Jake propped Taylor against the broken, but sturdy wall behind them.

"You're saying  _this_  is..." Diego gasped, his eyes wide as he shielded them against the glare of the angry volcano. He turned towards Taylor, biting his lip as he stepped closer and reached hesitantly for his shoulder. "And  _you..._  Dude, this is some serious emotional trauma right now, and you know; I am not equipped to handle this kind of pressure all at once." Diego said, as Taylor grinned lopsidedly and snatched his hesitating hand from the air, squeezing it lightly.

"Sorry, buddy." He said, coughing into his free hand a moment. "You'll have to get Heathcliff to be your stress ball..." He huffed, as Diego grimaced and stroked his beard distractedly.

"Dude, he doesn't handle stress well either... He's way too unpredictable." Diego said, a tiny twitch at the corner of his lip, as Taylor huffed a laugh and met his gaze warmly.

"You're obsession with your beard is disturbing, my friend." Taylor teased, nudging him playfully, before looking over his other friends. He noticed Sean silently staring out at the destruction, his face creased with pain. "Driver," he said, tugging Jake's arm insistently as he pointed towards the athlete. "Over there, please."

"Or, you could stay  _here_  and rest." Jake growled, stubbornly refusing to move, as he glared down at Taylor fiercely.

"If you don't take me, Diego will." Taylor pouted, sniggering when his friend yelped, as the pilots glare shifted towards him. His amusement faded, when he was caught by another bout of coughing, his gut churning painfully as he ejected more green slime to the floor.  _"Please,_  Jake..." He gasped, wiping his mouth on his arm. "We need to get everyone to focus..."

"How 'bout I go make him focus, while Short Stuff here, helps you  _rest?"_  The pilot asked, shifting slightly to move Taylors excess weight to Diego's shoulder.

"How 'bout, I'm not an idiot and I don't want you to start hitting him?" Taylor rebuffed innocently, freeing himself and taking a few quick, shaky steps forward.

"Bloody stubborn..." Jake muttered darkly, quickly catching up and steadying Taylors wobbly progress, as Diego stepped up Taylors other side and offered his own support.

"Heh, thanks guys." Taylor hummed smugly, as the pair exchanged a nervous and irritated glance combined. As they approached the athlete, they were able to make out the hoarse whisper he seemed to be repeating to himself.

"It's Hartfeld..." He muttered, staring around the destroyed college campus.

"Nah, man... No way!" Raj cried, as Taylor laid his hand on Sean's shoulder supportively.

"Sean, you can't fix it just by staring at it." He said, patting the athletes shoulder, before firmly turning him away. "Gotta get your head in the game, man. No scrambling this time." Taylor said, as Sean stared at him blankly for a moment, before swallowing heavily, and nodding.

"Last I remember, there wasn't a  _freakin' volcano_  in the middle of Frat Row!" Craig cried, as Taylor chuffed a quiet laugh, which devolved into a deep cough.

"I don't understand..." Quinn said, moving over to Taylor and gently patting his back. "What  _happened?"_

"Surely," Aleister offered hesitantly, drawing Grace into his side as he looked over at Taylor imploringly, desperately hoping for answers. "This is the distant future..? It  _must_  be." He said, as Taylor chuckled and shook his head.

He slowly turned around, Jake planting his feet firmly so he could lean on him.  _"This_  is why Rourke wasn't bothered about us escaping." He said to himself, looking out at the lava, stretching as far as the eye could see. "He  _knew_  what happened, he  _planned_  it..." He muttered darkly, his hands clutching Jake's sleeve tightly as he glared up at Mount Atropo's furiously spitting peak.

"What the  _hell_  are we supposed to do here?" Michelle demanded, gesturing at the fiery scenery around them.

 _"Do?"_  Taylor huffed, turning back to his friends as he tried to swallow down the need to cough. "We don't do anything, there's nothing  _to_  do." He said blankly, shrugging his shoulders weakly. "We can figure out what happened, I guess; but most of this... speaks for itself." He said, breaking off to hack viciously into his palm.

"Good point. We have no idea how to stop this, if we don't know what it is." Zahra said, nodding thoughtfully as she narrowed her eyes at the scene around them.

"Oh, I know what it is." Taylor snorted, wiping his hand on his trousers with a grimace. "But stopping it might be a little out of our hands just now." He sniggered, leaning his head on Jake's shoulder as he was overwhelmed by dizziness.

"There could be people out there right now,  _suffering!"_  Sean growled, glaring at Taylor as Jake worriedly swiped at his brow. "Don't you  _care?!"_

"Hey, in case ya didn't notice,  _Taylor_  is sufferin' right fuckin' now!" Jake snapped, glaring up at the athlete briefly, before turning his concerned gaze back to Taylor and drawing him closer.  _"That's_  what I care about."

 _"Aww,_  Top Gun..." Taylor mumbled affectionately, his cheek rubbing lightly against the pilots shirt, as he closed his eyes for a moment.

"I didn't mean it like that, and  _you_  know it!" Sean growled hotly, turning toward the pilot to continue his protest, only to be cut off.

"We  _do,_  Sean." Michelle placated, raising her hands as she stepped between them. "We're just trying to save  _everyone,_  instead of just the few who have lived this long...  _And_  Taylor." She added firmly, as he huffed and opened his eyes to offer her a fond look.

"There's a fire escape over here," Raj called, opening a door on the roof to reveal a creaking set of stairs, leading down to the street level.

"Ooh, this looks like  _such_  fun..." Taylor groaned, as the others began to file ahead. He moved to follow, only to yelp when Jake made to pick him up. "Hey, hey,  _hey!"_  He scolded, slapping the pilots hands away with a feigned glare. "I am not some flimsy bride, I am quite capable of walking!" He snarked, as Jake raised a pointed brow at him. Taylor flushed red, averting his gaze as he purposefully walked toward the stairs. " _Shut up._ " He groused, as he moved to follow the others, Diego just ahead of him, and Jake bringing up the rear.

"Didn't say a thing." Jake said, though Taylor was pleased to note a hint of amusement in the pilots tone at last.

"You  _thought_  it." He accused, as he carefully made his way down the many flights of stairs, Jake's hand a reassuring weight against his back.

"Heh," Jake snorted, as they slowly made their way after the others. "... I thought it." He confirmed quietly, and Taylor bit his lip in giddy joy, even as his choked him with pain and nausea.

When they reached the street, Jake returned to his side, eyeing the magma bubbling up through cracks the asphalt dubiously, but picking out a rough path where there was room enough for them to walk. "Okay, guys. Look around to your hearts content." Taylor said, turning away as he fell into a wave of coughing. "Be careful, okay?" He added between rough gasps for air, as Jake held his shoulders and Michelle came to try and ease his discomfort.

"Taylor, try and drink this... Maybe it will dilute whatever reaction you're having." The blonde said, offering him a bottle of water, with some of the healing leaves carefully ground into it.

"Reaction?" Taylor queried, frowning even as he took an obedient sip, as much to erase the awful taste from his mouth as to please the blonde.

"To travelling through the Gate," Michelle clarified distractedly, as she took his pulse. "It's dropped a little, we can take that as a good sign I think... But, I don't even want to know what the hell that  _crap_  you keep bringing up is, though it would certainly help figuring out how to fix you."

"Michelle, this isn't-" Taylor began, shaking his head slowly as he lowered the water from his lips.

"Let her do her thing, Boy Scout." Jake murmured softly, drawing him to lean against the pilots shoulder. "Everyone has their own way of copin'."

Taylor looked up, biting his lips as he nudged Jake's shoulder lightly. "Raj probably has something in his bag, if you need-"

"Nah," Jake said, shaking his head as he swallowed heavily and glanced down at him. "I ain't gonna waste time, if this..." He cleared his throat, trailing off to focus on Diego, as the olive skinned boy waved at them frantically.

"Hey, guys! Come check this out!" He called, as Taylor stared up at Jake guiltily, wishing he could give the man comfort, but fully aware he was the cause of his pain. "Something's stuck in the lava over here!" Diego called again, and Taylor squeezed Jake's hand, tugging him towards his friend.

They joined Diego and Grace by a lava pool, back by the foot of the fire escape. Taylor raised his brow, sharing a confused glance with Jake, upon noticing a golden chest plate gleaming in the red light. "Is that..." Taylor asked, pointing at the chest plate dubiously.  _"Armour..?"_

"Okay, the trip to Red Queen's Wonderland has officially landed, kids." Jake sighed, his eyes wide as he ran a hand through his hand in frustration.

"Yeah, and it looks ancient too." Diego said, ignoring Jake's continued grumbles of complaint. "Look at the engravings... Must be from a museum or something..." He mused, as Taylor looked down at the armour thoughtfully.

"How in heavens name, is it  _intact?"_  Aleister asked curiously, frowning as he walked over to examine the armour for himself. "The lava should've melted the gold instantly."

"I don't think it's gold..." Quinn said, her eyes darting to Taylors briefly, both thinking of the idols they'd collected. "I think it's  _amber!"_

The armour shimmered, beckoning, and Taylor felt oddly drawn to it. Acting instinctively, he dropped from Jake's side, ignoring the pilots startled protest as he reached out to touch the armour.

"What on earth are you  _doing?!"_  Aleister demanded urgently, his eyes wide as he moved to stop Taylor. "Don't touch it-"

"Too late, Malfoy." Jake said with an exasperated, and irritated huff, shaking his head as Taylors fingers brushed over the armour. "He touched it."

"You're gonna burn your hand off!" Diego gasped, dropping to his knees at Taylors side, as he looked up his friends in shock.

"It's...  _cold."_  He said, shaking his head in bemusement as he looked back down, at the perfectly cool armour beneath his fingers. "It's not hot at all..." He said, coughing lightly as he gestured for the others to try. "Feel it."

Diego frowned at him uncertainly, before daintily reaching out to touch the armour for himself. "Okay..." He said, shaking his head in disbelief, looking up at the others with wide eyes.  _"That_  is not normal."

"Sadi Carnot is rolling in his grave, as we speak..." Aleister sighed, turning his dejected gaze to the smoke filled sky above them.

"What's that engraving on the back, Taylor?" Grace asked, pointing curiously, as she stepped around Aleister for a closer look.

Taylor shifted closer, running his hand along an intricate engraving, running down the spine of the armour. "Looks like a... DNA helix..?" He said uncertainly, frowning as the engraving seemed to change slightly. "That turns into... a chain?"

"And, there's a blue crystal at the nape of the neck..." Diego pointed out, gesturing to the gleaming blue crystal. "Wonder what that's for?"

 _"Man,_  Taylor." Zahra said, beaming a wide smirk at him as she clicked her tongue against her cheek. "You've got a  _serious_  death wish for touching that thing." She snorted, as Taylor hung his head and chuckled.

"Some risk's are necessary..." He snorted, glancing over at Craig when he began to laugh loudly.

"Ha!" The jock cheered, bumping his fist to Zahra's proudly. "You're more of a daredevil than  _me,_  Taylor!" He snorted.

 _"Why_  are you saying that like its a  _good_  thing?" Michelle demanded, her furious scowl flitting from Craig to Taylor accusingly. "Stop  _encouraging_  him!"

"Besides," Taylor said loudly, distracting the blonde from her tirade. "Wishing for it was the last thing I did..." He huffed, withdrawing his hand only to immediately be overwhelmed by a fierce wave of coughing.

"Taylor-" Jake began, dropping down beside him as Taylor continued to cough, his body seeming to try and make up for its brief respite. He gasped for breath, choking as he tried to eject more green bile from his body. "Shit, he's-" the rest of Jake's words were drowned out, as Taylor coughed loudly, his body heaving to rid itself of whatever disagreed with it so badly.

As Jake's hand collided with his back, urging the clogging sludge to vacate his airway, his hand shot out to steady himself. Almost instantly, the harsh tremors wracking him began to ease, and he gasped in a deep breath of air. "Urgh," he groaned, spitting the remaining awful sludge into the lava pool. "This  _sucks..."_  He mumbled, moving to right himself, only for his chest to rumble with the threat of more coughs.

"Wait," Michelle said urgently, hurrying forward and pressing his hand back to the armour. Taylor sighed, the rough tickle in his chest fading to a manageable level. "Whatever this is... It's helping!" She gasped, her eyes wide as she watched Taylors brow crease in confusion.

"You're expecting me to carry that thing around?" He croaked, as Jake's eyes darted hopefully between the three of them.

"No..." The pilot drawled slowly, his gaze meeting Diego's in some silent understanding that Taylor was not privy to. "Think we got a better idea than that..." He said, raising a brow thoughtfully. "It's cool to the touch, right?" He asked, reaching forward to confirm it for himself. "Okay, let's get it out." He ordered, even as Diego was already in motion, grabbing the armour with both hands and dragged it from the lava; though he was careful to keep Taylors fingers against it's cold surface. "Looks like it'd fit you, so let's get it on you, and see if it helps."

"And _I_  get no say in this?" Taylor demanded hotly, glaring between his best friend and his pilot accusingly.

 _"Nope."_  They said as one, fist bumping without even looking away from their tasks, as Taylors scowl deepened at the irritating sound, as well as their manhandling of him.

"This is  _not_  dignified..." Taylor complained, as the two took care to make sure the armour touched him at all times, as they set about stripping off his clothes and re-dressing him in the strange armour. "I hate you both right now, just saying." He pouted, as Jake snorted and winked at him knowingly.

"Dude, I don't think he  _cares,_  right now." Diego said quietly, as he strapped a leg plate into place. "I believe the general consensus is; 'Taylor lives, that makes it good'."

"You could at least let me do the rest myself!" Taylor groused, as Jake and Diego strapped the final pieces into place. When they were finished, Diego took a step back, as Jake lay his hands on Taylors cheeks and met his gaze nervously.

"How'd you feel?" He asked, his clear eyes dancing with pain, concern and hope. The pilot bit his lip, as Taylor pouted up at him crossly.

"Pissed off, mostly." He snarked, folding his arms over his chest petulantly. "You're supposed to wanna take clothes  _off_  me. Not put... whatever this is  _on!"_  He groused, as Jake's shoulders sagged in obvious relief.

"If you hadn't been barfin' up that disgustin' sludge, I'd kiss the hell outta you right now." The pilot murmured, his fingers slipping to Taylors shoulders and squeezing tightly.

"Oh, I see, conditions already?" Taylor sighed, his lips curving into a soft grin as he leaned his forehead to Jake's. "Hmm, I'll forgive you this once... That shit  _really_  tastes gross." He said, breaking away to cough lightly.

"It's not a permanent fix," Michelle said, hurrying over to check Taylors vital signs and general health, now he was actually wearing the strange armour. "But overall, you're much improved from how bad you were..."

"I... don't understand how you're alive right now..." Grace said, staring at him in awe, as they rejoined the group.

"I think most everyone was thinking that  _anyway,_  Grace..." Taylor sniggered, yelping when Jake swatted him on the ass for the comment. He grinned at Grace, patting the chest plate fondly. "It's actually pretty breathable..." He said seriously, winking at the dark skinned girl.

"Nice. Legendary armour;  _unlocked."_  Diego said, fist bumping him as he stepped around from where he'd followed them back. "And with added perk; it actually helped save your life already."

"You look like an ancient hero!" Quinn giggled, drawing him into a tight hug. He held her gently in return, the both of them pretending they didn't feel Quinn's tears against his cheek.

"While it's certainly a handsome set, none of this explains how it came to be sitting here!" Aleister snarked, trying to hide his own appreciation. "Nor, it's apparent ability to succeed where medical treatment failed, with regards to Taylors health."

Taylor was about to respond, drawing back from Quinn's embrace as she uickly wiped her eyes, when Grace shrieked and clasped a hand over her mouth, pointing with a trembling finger. He followed her gaze, to an ash covered pile of debris nearby. "What's wrong Grace, it- oh..." He said, his voice turning small as he understood her horror. He stepped forward, his heart rushing with sympathy as he looked down at the bones scattered across the ground.

"Oh man, that is  _not_  a good way to go..." Zahra said, shaking her head as Craig slid his arm around her shoulders.

Taylor buried his face in Jake's jacket, his mind conjuring images of people running, screaming in terror. Behind him, he could hear Raj retching. Jake pulled him away with the rest of the group, while Michelle remained with the skeletons, poking around the pile critically. "There's gotta be a dozen of them..." She muttered with a tactical, emotional detachment.

"Those poor people." Quinn said, "they were probably classmates... Hartfeld students, just like us!" She choked, utterly aghast as she stared at the devastation, until Taylor pulled her against him, curling his arm around her and drawing into Jake's other side.

"Hey, what the hell am I? A damn pillow?" The pilot snarked, though he curled his own arm around Quinn himself.

"Yes." Taylor mumbled into his jacket. "Now shut up, pillows don't complain." He added, a small smile curling his lips up as he heard Jake snort in amusement.

"Did they die quick and painless at least?" Raj asked hoarsely, his eyes heavy with grief and compassionate sorrow.

"Quick, yes. Painless..." Michelle said, as she pushed to her feet with a sad shake of her head.  _"No."_

"Let's... leave 'em be." Sean said thickly, his shoulders tensed with grief and undeserved guilt. "And... make sure we don't join 'em."

"C'mon," Jake said lightly, nudging Quinn and Taylor from their hiding places and urging them forward. He squeezed Taylors hand, as they wandered down the streets of their college town, climbing over hills of smoldering wreckage. The world was eerily silent around them, save for the distant, sustained rumble; of the mega volcano.

"There's the coffee shop I would always code at..." Zahra said, shaking her head as she sighed. "Everything looks pretty much the same, except; you know,  _on fire_." She added with a shrug, looking around emotionlessly.

"How far in the future do you think we are..?" Diego asked lowly, looking around in obvious heartache. Taylor glanced at his friend, and then up at his pilot, before looking at his feet.

"Do you think most people evacuated in time?" Grace asked worriedly, and Taylor could tell from the glance he shot her, she was wondering about her mom.

"Evacuated to  _where?"_  Estela growled, gesturing to the lava surrounding them. "Looks like this goes all the way to the horizon!"

"... And beyond..." Taylor murmured brokenly, wincing guiltily when Jake suddenly squeezed his hand. He looked up as they walked down the middle of the street, meeting the pilots gaze hesitantly, the sorrow in his eyes more than enough to confirm his statement. Jake swallowed, his eyes flashing with emotions too quick to count, before he faced forward again and they continued in silence. Despair and dread, hung heavy over them all, and Taylor could feel it slowly consuming his heart. He coughed into his free hand lightly, discreetly wiping a small discharge of green gunk against his leg without Jake noticing, the pilot lost in his own grief.

"This cannot be." Aleister finally declared, staring around despondently at the ruined town. "We did everything,  _everything_  we were supposed to..."

"Dude, look." Raj said, nudging Craig's shoulder sadly, as he gestured across their path. "This was Andrew's Field. Used to play Ultimate out there every weekend."

"And there's Greene Library..." Grace said, her hands raised to her mouth in horror. "That was like my second dorm room."

Quinn wandered quietly alongside Taylor, and he realised when he glanced at her, that there were tears in her eyes. He reached out and squeezed her hand, and she hiccupped a sob as she turned toward him. "No..." She pleaded, her eyes meeting his brokenly. "Taylor,  _please..._  Tell me this is all a bad dream..."

"I'm sorry, Quinn..." He said gently, drawing her closer to his side as they continued down the street.

"There's gotta be some way to prevent this from happening." Michelle said, her arms wrapped around herself as she looked around forlornly. "There just has to..."

Taylor swallowed heavily, a deep wave of shame rolling through him. He choked it back, forcibly reminding himself that he had nothing to do with the eruption or the current state of the world. He told himself firmly, that he believed that.

"I thought I was numb to death... But  _this?"_  Estela said frankly, shaking her head at the smoldering piles of ash littering the streets. "This is just..."

"I can't believe this..." Taylor sighed, running his hand through his hair in frustration, as his gut bubbled with guilt, shame and deep sense of self loathing.

Jake seemed to sense his festering mood, and squeezed his hand comfortingly. "Can't imagine how hard this is for you." He said, and Taylor blinked, suddenly terrified the pilot could also sense his guilt. "To see your home like this."

Taylor couldn't help the relieved sigh he released, nor the semi hysterical laugh which accompanied it. "Yeah, uh... I... don't even recognise it..." He said honestly, his quiet words meaning so much more than the pilot could ever know.

"Craig?" Diego called, looking back at the jock, as he lingered by a huge billboard. "You comin'?" Taylor glanced up, and his heart sped up frantically, as he made out some of the text advertising season tickets; along with pieces of the two men photographed side by side, the numbers five and sixty eight, emblazoned on their jerseys.

"Yeah." Craig said, looking over to meet Taylors nervous gaze. His eyes stared blankly for a moment, before passing over him, as he began to follow the group once more. "I'm comin'."

"Hey, Diego." Taylor said suddenly, desperate to distract everyone from the looming billboard, incase they understood it's significance. "Remember when we saw The Avengers, at the Movie On The Quad last year?" He asked, almost stumbling as the memory flitted away from him suddenly. "What the hell..?" He muttered, shaking his head as Jake helped him regain his footing.

"Barely." Diego snorted, beaming a wide, guilty grin at him. "I drank way too much moscato that night... But, I remember it was fun." He hedged, sniggering briefly at the memory, before his face fell in dejection. "It was right over there. And now it's... its just gone."

"It's not gone." Taylor said warmly, his throat constricting suddenly. "We remember it." He choked thickly, dabbing at his eyes in shock, as they prickled and spilled hot tears over his cheeks. " _What the hell_?!" He growled in frustration, scrubbing at his eyes and clearing his throat.

"Hey, come on." Estela snarked, glancing back at them in irritation. "You're lagging behind."

"Ah, can it, Katniss." Jake growled back, gesturing around them. "What, 'fraid you might lose us in the hustle and bustle of the big city?" He griped, as Estela's lip curled in irritation.

"We're sorry, Estela." Taylor said in placation, stepping on Jake's foot when the pilot scoffed and made to reply again. They caught themselves up with the group, only for Sean to stop suddenly, and Taylor saw him swallow hard. "Sean?" He called tentatively, only for the athlete to ignore him, breaking off from the group and marching forward across the crumbling street determinedly.

"Where is he going?" Michelle demanded, moving to follow after him, only for Taylor to stop her gently.

"Just... Wait here, okay..? Don't worry, I'll get him for you." He said confidently, winking at her, before slipping his hand free of Jake's and following the athlete alone. He paused once, to cough up a wad of green gunk, which he spat into a nearby lava pool, before hurrying to catch up to his friend.

Sean moved directly to a half collapsed building, proceeding straight inside and up a charred staircase, to a second floor apartment. There, they found him standing in the middle of a soot covered living room.

"Uh, Sean?" Taylor called tentatively, as he stepped deeper into the room. "What are we doing here..?" He asked, walking around to face the athlete.

"... This is my mom's place." Sean said, swallowing thickly as he stared around the destroyed room with a broken gaze. "Was." He said, a hiccupped sob escaping him. "Was my mom's place."

"Oh... Sean..." Taylor said, his heart hammering in his chest with guilt, sympathy and shame, all together.

"After we finally managed to get away from my dad, she wanted to stay close to me." Sean explained, before shaking his head and looking to the floor.  _"I_  wanted her close... She got this apartment when I was a freshman. Closest building to Hartfeld Stadium." He said, walking up to a cracked window frame barely clinging to the wall, and wiped away the soot on the glass. Beneath it, was a faded picture of a young Sean, beaming after winning a peewee football game. Hugging him, was a proud mother and father. Taylor felt a fierce sting of pain in his heart, his hands curling into balls at the happy faces, having no memory come to him; of a family of his own.

"I always  _hated_  that she kept this photo up." Sean said quietly, ignorant of Taylors inner struggle. "She  _still_  loved him. After everything... After  _everything_  that bastard did to us, she still loved him." He growled, clutching the picture so tight it almost snapped. "At least..." He said, his grip loosening as he gazed down at the photo thoughtfully. "She loved the  _old_  him. But that man was  _dead."_  He said, slumping down while holding the frame. The athlete blinked, and welling tears were forced from his eyes.

Taylor hesitated for a moment, before sitting down beside him and waiting for him to continue. "I wasn't here, Taylor." Sean choked brokenly, his tears coming thicker now that they'd begun to fall. "I told her I'd  _always_  protect her, and I  _wasn't here..!"_

Taylor put his arm around Sean's shoulder, and leaned closer. "It's not your fault, Sean." He said quietly, squeezing the athletes shoulders gently.

"That's all I was ever good at, you know?" Sean demanded, heedless of Taylors comfort. "Taking the punishment, so someone I care about doesn't have to." He said firmly, as Taylor frowned and shook his head. "And as for my mom, the person that mattered  _most..._  I couldn't even do that."

Taylor felt a flicker in his guilt-ridden heart, a fire born of both irritation and determination, as he thought of the broken world, and his slowly breaking friends. With the fire came the resolution; to put right the tragedy which had occurred and to fix the world, for the sake's of those he loved. "Sean." He said firmly, grabbing the athletes chin and forcing him to look at him. "We'll fix this." He said, hoping his new found fire and determination would show in his firm gaze. "That's a promise."

"You say that with such certainty..." Sean said, gazing at him in awe, as he slowly shook his head. "I don't know how you do it." He said quietly, staring at him a moment longer, before shaking his head again and breaking out in a light laugh. "Only  _you_  could make me look at the end of the world and think; 'Yeah, this is fixable.'" He said, looking back at Taylor with a soft grin. "It seems completely nuts. But I look at you... and I believe it."

"I believe in  _us."_  Taylor said, as he pushed to his feet, and offered his hand to Sean. "Come on, Heisman. World needs saving." He said, winking at the athlete, as he took the offered hand. He pulled Sean to his feet, and the pair took a final look around the apartment, before they headed back down to the street, only to find the rest of their friends arguing.

"That's total conjecture!" Michelle cried, scowling at Craig furiously. "You don't  _know_  that!"

"Since when are you the authority on what's possible on Loco Island?!" Craig spat back, his huge shoulders locked tight in fury.

"Guys,  _please!"_  Grace pleaded, trying to calm them both. "We can't fight!"

"Listen to Grace, you imbeciles." Aleister sighed dejectedly, frowning at the broken world around them. "We must do whatever we can, to prevent this future from happening."

"Yeah, uh... One problem." Raj said, shaking his head sadly. "I don't think we're  _in_  the future." He said, and Taylor stopped abruptly, his heart stuttering guiltily, as Raj pointed across the street, to the entrance sign for Hartfeld University. In faded marquee letters, it's message was dulled and smeared with soot, but still readable.

' **Twenty seventeen Summer Session begins this Monday, June fifth!'**

"June fifth of  _this year_?!" Zahra choked, her eyes wide as she stared at the sign in disbelief.

" _Oh my god..."_  Quinn gasped, shaking her head as the pieces fell into place in her mind. "That means the eruption would've happened around..." She trailed off, too shocked to say the words out loud.

Taylor sighed dispiritedly, rubbing his chest as the itchy desire to cough surged. "... The day we flew to La Huerta." He said quietly, his friends all turning towards him, as he lowered his eyes in obvious guilt.

"You knew?" Jake asked, walking over to him and curling a finger beneath his chin, forcing him to look up and meet his carefully guarded, clear eyes.

Taylor nodded reluctantly, turning his head away to cough briefly, before looking back at Jake apologetically. "When we got here, when I passed out..." He said, biting his lip as he glanced around the others. "I recognised that  _monstrosity..."_  He said, gesturing to the ever angry, Mount Atropo. "I guess... It triggered something. Everything kinda fell together, the voices; from the observatory... I had a front row seat, I saw them all. And last of all, a plane. Flying into a storm." He said, as Jake's eyes widened in sudden realisation.

The pilot averted his gaze briefly, hiding his emotions from Taylor, and he lowered his gaze to the floor in guilty shame. "I'm sorry, I just... There was so much else going on." He said quietly, for the pilots ears alone. "I just... I didn't want to  _burden_  everyone... Not, not right away..."

 _"Dammit,_  Taylor." Jake groaned, looking back at him a frustrated frown. "We just got through all this shit. We  _agreed,_  no more hiding crap in that head of yours!" He said, jabbing at Taylors forehead with his finger. "Goddammit..." The pilot sighed, running his hand over his face tiredly. "What is it gonna take for you to damn well trust me?"

"It's not  _like_  that!" Taylor pleaded, ignoring the itch of an impending cough in his chest. "I just... Everything was happening so fast, and I just, I took a little time to process!" He said, tugging at his hair in frustration. "Look, I was... I just... Jake...  _I'm not meant to be here_." He finally said with a sigh, looking up at his pilot brokenly. "My body is  _literally_  pulling itself apart, and the only reason I'm not-"

 _"Don't_  you say it." Jake snarled, his eyes turning hard, gleaming dangerously. Taylor sighed and turned away in frustration, glaring at the burning sidewalk.

"... Just because you leave it unsaid, doesn't make it any less true." Taylor muttered, his irritation fading as he forced himself to see things from Jake's perspective. "The fact is, this armour, whatever it is... Its all that's keeping me alive, right now." Taylor said quietly, blinking back his own grief as he tentatively took Jake's hand in both of his own. "I'm sorry, if you thought I was keeping this from you just to be stubborn. I just... I was more concerned about figuring out how to get you guys to safety than... well, anything, to be honest."

Taylor drew Jake's fingers to his lips, wishing he could find the words to express himself properly, but his heart was too conflicted. After a long pause, Jake sighed and curled an arm around his shoulders, drawing him closer as he rested his cheek against the top of his head. "Why the  _hell_  are you such a stubborn, pain in the ass?" Jake grumbled, pressing a quick kiss to his temple, before drawing away again. "It's ridiculous how someone so hot, can be  _so_  goddamn irritating." He snorted, huffing a half chuckle, as he rolled his eyes. "So... Tell us," Jake said, leading him over to the group. "Fill us in on what the holy hell happened here."

"It's not just here, guys..." Taylor said slowly, looking around guiltily. "It's everywhere... This is it, this is... the world, now.  _This;_  is Raan'losti." He said, taking a deep breath to explain, only to turn suddenly and begin coughing harshly. Hands fell reassuringly to his shoulders and back, but he waved them all away, shaking his head as the worst of the attack passed. "Urgh..." He groaned, drawing in a deep breath as he grimaced and drank some more of the water Michelle had given him.

"So, the day we flew to La Huerta..." Michelle pressed, as Taylor turned back to them all with a tired sigh. Jake frowned, wiping a small smidge of green from his chin with a nervous look to the blonde pre-med, before drawing Taylor to his side.

"The day we flew to La Huerta," Taylor confirmed, his fingers lacing together with Jake's, as he leaned against the pilots shoulder gratefully. "Was the day that Mount Atropo erupted..."

"So, we're really not in the future..?" Sean asked, his brows furrowing in concern. "We're in the  _present?"_

"Well, technically we shot ourselves six months into the future, back at The Celestial." Taylor reminded them, looking over at the athlete sadly. "But, even so..." Taylor said, falling silent as words failed him.

"The world ended six months ago." Zahra said, shaking her head as she stared blankly at the destroyed world around them. "We just got the memo." She said, shuddering as Craig stepped up beside her and laid his hand on her shoulder. For a moment nobody said anything, or even seemed to breathe, each lost in their own horrifying expectations of just how the world had ended.

"Do you remember the transmissions from the observatory?" Grace asked slowly, looking up at them all with wide eyes. "I thought perhaps they'd been cast back to us from the future... But, they were really..." She trailed off, seeming too distressed to complete the thought.

"You remember when we were going to rescue Diego? When Rourke was with us, in the jungle..?" Taylor asked suddenly, glancing around his friends, as they all nodded.

"Uh,  _no..?"_  Diego drawled, though everyone ignored him, leaving him to pout at them as he stroked his beard.

"I asked him about the transmissions... He said the same thing, he thought they were from the planets likely future..." Taylor explained, narrowing his eyes in thought as he cocked his head and tried to remember what the man had told him. "He... He said that, we were in 'a bubble of time' and we were safe, for the moment at least. That, the bubble... That was La Huerta!" He said, the pieces falling together as he recalled the rest of Rourke's explanation. "He said that, an eruption of Mount Atropo would risk plunging the planet itself into a prehistoric time... When all the world was lava... And civilization, would immediately be engulfed 'in the fire, of a bygone era'..." He said, looking around the burning streets hollowly.  _That bastard... He knew. He knew it had already happened... That's why he was hidden away in his pod._  He thought, his hand curling into a ball at the thought of the smug man, cowering away.

"The storm." Jake murmured, glancing down at Taylor, and squeezing his hand. "Time was already on the fritz... We must've been just close enough to slip through..."

"With a little help from the best damn pilot the Navy had seen in a decade..." Taylor said quietly, squeezing Jake's hand in return, as his pilot huffed a dry chuckle.

"You guys mean, all that turbulence on the way in..?" Raj asked, frowning as he recalled their memorable flight to the island. "The sudden dark clouds, and the lightning?"

"Holy  _crap..."_  Diego whistled, shaking his head in disbelief.  _"That_  was the eruption?" He asked, glancing up at Taylor, who nodded reluctantly. "We flew straight through all that... Into what'd you call it? A time bubble?"

"Actually Rourke called it that, but yes. Basically." Taylor replied quietly, shrugging his shoulders as his eyes met Diego's, sharing a moment of silent comfort.

"The island alone stayed safe..." Estela said, her eyes wide as she stared at the ground, her arms tightly crossed over her torso. "While the rest of the world burned..."

"Hold on." Jake demanded, scowling at the ruined world around them as he jabbed his finger accusingly toward the volcano, looming in the background. "How does one volcano, thousands of miles away, do  _this?"_

Taylor sighed, shaking his head as he looked up to meet Jake's angry, confused gaze. "When the volcano blew, it caused a kind of... ripple effect. It made Mount Atropo a... A Nexus, I guess?"

"A Nexus for what, pray tell?" Aleister demanded, frowning at him in consternation.

Taylor looked over at the pale boy with a humourless chuckle, meeting his intense gaze with a tired one of his own. "The world." He said, as Aleister balked, and took a large step backwards. "No matter where you go in the world; Atropo will be there. Relentless, and unforgiving, and responsible for every bit of destruction; everywhere..." He said, rubbing at his chest absently, when a rough prod of guilt niggled at his heart.

"We all know Mount Atropo's no ordinary volcano..." Grace said, her eyes glassy with unshed tears, as her fingers tapped together nervously. "What Taylors trying to say, is that it was a massive build up of energy, which tore space-time."

Taylor clicked his fingers excitedly, pointing towards her urgently.  _"That,_  yes  _that!"_  He said quickly, nodding eagerly. "That's exactly what I was trying to say! Thank you, Grace!"

Grace smiled sadly, her eyes locked onto the devastation around them. "Honestly, what this Earth reminds me of most..." She sighed, shaking her head as her hand slipped into Aleister's. "Is when it was first forming. Before the crust cooled."

"So, what you're saying is," Zahra queried, her hand raised to her brow as she tried to accept the information. "Is that the eruption sent the planet back into..." She trailed off, her eyes widening as she choked in realisation.

Aleister sighed, casting his eyes to the floor in undeserved guilt. "...  _The Hadean Eon."_  He confirmed, as Taylor tugged his hand free of his pilots, and turned away from the group to cough.

"Your dads a real bastard, Aleister." He croaked, as he rejoined them a few moments later, shaking his head as he looked over at the pale boy. "He  _knew."_  Taylor said, his hands clawing through his hair, until Jake snatched them away. "That bastard has been one step ahead about everything. He knew, what had happened. He knew, there was nowhere we could ever really escape to... Because-"

"Because everything and everyone outside of La Huerta, would suddenly be living on a molten rock." Sean said, hanging his head as he turned away briefly, kicking at the ground dejectedly.

Quinn shuddered, her body shrinking in on itself. "That's..." She gasped, wrapping her arms around herself, as Michelle stepped closer and rubbed her arm consolingly. "So horrible..!"

"Worst game of 'The Floor Is Lava' ever..." Diego sighed, only for Taylor to quickly swat him on the arm.  _"Ow..."_  Diego pouted, as Taylor scowled and rolled his eyes, though he sniggered to himself, once his face was safely buried in his pilots jacket.

"Okay then." Sean said, staring out at the empty world. "There's no one left. There's nothing we can do here." He said, turning back to face the rest of them."

"Aw,  _don't_  say it." Raj frowned, his hands raising to grasp at his hair. "Don't say it, dude-" he pleaded, but to no avail, as Sean pressed on regardless.

"We have to go back." Sean said firmly, though the pain of loss lingered in his gaze. Raj immediately threw his arms in the air and paced away, ranting to himself as the others stared after him.

"This can't be happening. It  _can't_  be happening." The large boy muttered, tugging at his hair periodically as he spun in tight circles, pacing frantically. "It's a nightmare... I can't deal with this. I  _can't!"_

"Uh, Taylor..." Zahra murmured, leaning closer with a wince. "I think we finally broke Raj." She said, eyeing the large boy nervously. When Taylor merely stared at her blankly, she nudged him toward Raj, raising her brows and tipping her head meaningfully. "You know... Do your  _thing..."_  She finally whispered furiously, scowling at him for making her say it.

Taylor sighed, squeezing Jake's hand briefly, before releasing it and slowly walking over to Raj; who was running his hands through his hair, wild eyed and frantic. Taylor paused for a moment, allowing Raj to pace some more, before quickly snaring him in a hug. The large boy stopped moving suddenly, his frantic energy seemingly evaporated as he looked down at Taylor in distress. "I... I..."

"I know." Taylor said, giving a small nod and smiling fondly at his friend. "We're here, Raj. We're with you." He said, as Raj finally exhaled a deep breath, and slowly wrapped his arms around Taylor in return.

"Okay... I'm okay." He mumbled, a few moments later. "I'm good now. Thanks, Taylor." The large boy said, offering a weak smile.

"Oh, cool." Taylor said, withdrawing his arms and turning away, coughing and retching harshly, finally giving in to the itch which had been bothering his chest he'd been calming Raj. "Urgh-" he groaned, dragging the back of his hand across his mouth, and grimacing when it came away green. He wiped his mouth again, and finally turned back to his friend, groaning tiredly as he tipped his head towards the others.

"Gross, dude." Raj said, patting him on the shoulder in commiseration. "But, you're a pretty good hugger, by the way... If that helps."

"You too, big guy." Taylor huffed, winking up at him weakly. "But honestly, did  _not_  help all that much dude..." He added, as they rejoined the others, and began to make their way back to the dorms.

"I'm gonna have to get some kinda label or somethin'." Jake muttered, as he sidled up beside Taylor, glancing down at him with a faint pout. "'This Boy Scout is Property of Jacob Lucas McKenzie; Do Not Touch'... Yep. Sounds 'bout right." He said, a wide grin blossoming on his face as Taylor burst out laughing and swatted his shoulder playfully.

"Urgh, don't make me laugh so much, it makes everything hurt." Taylor sniggered, shaking his head as he glanced up at Jake fondly. He had just opened his mouth to say more, when Diego suddenly froze on front of him, squinting into the distance. "What's up?" He asked, stepping around his friend to keep from crashing into him.

"So. This might sound weird, but..." Diego said, swallowing heavily as his eyes suddenly widened. "Does the horizon look...  _closer?"_  He asked, his voice rising in obvious panic.

The group all followed Diego's gaze, and Jake hummed, as he caught sight of what Diego had meant. "Huh.  _That_  ain't right." He said thoughtfully, glancing down at Taylor nervously.

"That's not the horizon..." Zahra choked, backing towards the dorms quickly. "That's a  _tsunami!"_

"You know what? Hot take here, but a giant wave of water sounds pretty refreshing right now." Craig said, frowning as Taylor and Jake immediately began herding the others along the oath again. "I think this whole planet could use some-"

"It's a tsunami of  _lava,_  Craig!" Zahra scolded, growling as she moved back along the path to grab his wrist and drag him towards the dorms.

"Oh." Craig said, his voice small as he picked Zahra up and began to run back towards the dorms. "Okay, yeah, that's bad."

"Faster!" Estela growled, racing along the path with Quinn, Sean and Michelle beside her.

"Hurry!" Taylor called from the back of the group. "Back to the rooftop!" He yelled, breaking off to cough roughly into his arm. He drew back his arm to see it painted with green, and he groaned as he rolled his eyes, dropping his arm and pushing himself to catch up to his friends.

As the wave approached from the distance, they all sprinted as fast as they could, finally reaching the fire escape and scrambling back up to the roof. "The Gate!" Quinn cried, as Taylor paused at the top of the fire escape, coughing and panting for breath at once. "It's  _gone!"_

"How the hell donwe get it back open?!" Zahra demanded urgently, eyeing the approaching tidal wave of lava fearfully.

"We can't." Taylor huffed, closing his eyes briefly as he leaned back against the ruined wall. "There's no way for us to open it from here..." He said, tiredly sliding down the wall.

 _"Taylor!"_  Jake cried, rushing over to his side. "C'mon, Boy Scout, just a little longer, okay? Just hold on-" he said, cutting off abruptly as he caught sight of the various green stains across Taylors armour.

"Not a permanent fix, Top Gun..." Taylor said tiredly, watching the wave of lava cresting, just a mile away and closing fast; a churning wall of molten rock, consuming everything in it's path. "I'm sorry... I'd give anything to be able to get you back, Jake..." He choked, meeting the pilots broken gaze with his own tormented one, desperately wishing for some way to save the people he loved most.

 _"Varyyn!"_  Diego gasped suddenly, hurrying forward to drop to his knees before Taylor, his eyes wide with urgency. "He must've taken the Islands Heart out of the machine, and is on his way back to Elyys'tel!"

"Oh, so we're not just screwed, but  _totally_  screwed! Great!" Michelle snarked, burying her face in her hands to hide herself from what she knew was coming.

Taylor thought back to the times he'd felt his mind link with Varyyn's, and he looked between Jake and Diego dubiously. "I don't know if I can reach him over such a distance..." He said hesitantly, reaching for each of their hands and squeezing weakly, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "But I'd try anything at least once for you guys." He said, closing his eyes and determinedly searching his consciousness for the tiny thread which linked their minds.  _Varyyn... Can you hear me_? He thought desperately, gritting his teeth and pushing through the empty space, until in a flash of bright light; he was suddenly seeing through Varyyn's eyes.

The Elyyshar was still within the  **MASADA**  Complex, slinking past Arachnid patrols. Hiding behind a corner, he checked the Heart in his satchel, patting it in reassurance when he saw it was still safe and sound. He watched a patrol pass by, and was about to sneak forward, when he paused suddenly, sensing something.  _"Huh?"_  He gasped, choking on the familiar presense in his mind, though considerably weakened.

"I have him," Taylor gasped, his eyes snapping open, as Diego took both his hands and stared into the vacant, glassy orbs.

"Help me, Varyyn." He pleaded desperately, his lips twisting into a terrified grimace. "You're my only hope."

The words rang through Varyyn's mind, as if Diego had whispered them directly into his ears. "Diego... He's in trouble!" The Elyyshar choked, fear clogging his airway, as he whipped around to go back the way he'd come. As he raced down the corridor, he ran straight into two Arachnid mercenaries, who raised their guns threateningly.

 **"Hey!"**  One cried, their finger inching to the trigger; while the other already held their weapon ready.  **"Stop right there**!" They barked, as Varyyn cursed, scowling furiously at the blockade.

 _Damn, I don't have time for this!_  He thought, growling as he crouched low to gather his strength. Taylor felt Varyyn's muscles coil, as he leapt into the air suddenly, spinning and extending his powerful leg; kicking one of the mercs in the head, and sending him crashing into his partner.  _"Hrah!"_  The Elyyshar snarled, as the guards slumped to the ground.

Varyyn didn't waste a second, sprinting past the unconscious soldiers and racing all the way back to Theoretical Prismatic's.  _Please be okay, Diego._.. Varyyn thought desperately, as he quickly yanked the heart out of his satchel, and placed it delicately between the electrodes; only for nothing to happen. "No...  _no!"_  He choked brokenly, just as Taylor lost his grip on their connection.

He slumped back against the wall with a heaving gasp, only to devolve into a coughing fit. He looked up, to see the wave of lava towering over him and his friends. "No..." He choked, looking up at Jake desperately, the pilots expression tight with grief.

"Holy mother of-" Diego whispered, his eyes locked onto the terrifying wave hovering over them, seeming almost sentient in its torment. Taylor recalled his own burns, and he felt panic claw at his heart, desperate to prevent his friends experiencing such a thing.

"Varyyn got the Heart in... But the Gate isn't responding!" He choked, his hand reaching for Jake's and clutching it desperately. "Something's wrong with it!"

"Something's...  _missing."_  Grace said pointedly, drawing everyone to look towards Quinn in desperation.

"I... I don't know what I can do so far away!" Quinn gasped, her eyes wide as she tucked her hair behind her ears. "But I'll try!" She looked at Taylor worriedly, as he nodded urgently, and she bit her lip; closing her eyes and focusing. Soon, Taylor began to feel the telltale ache in his chest, and he grit his teeth against the growing pain; his hands clutching at both Jake and Diego's hands determinedly, as debris began to float into the air around Quinn.

"Aw man, here we go again..." Craig groaned, his eyes wide as he stared Quinn and the lava wave alternately.

"No... I don't sense it..." Quinn whispered, her eyes blazing green as she opened them, frowning as he hair began to rise in the air.

"Keep... going..." Taylor choked, his lips staining green as he felt the pain in his chest intensify. "Push... deeper..." He choked, ignoring everything other than his firm intent to return his friends to safety.  _Please... Please, work! Please..! Save them!_  He thought desperately, gasping suddenly as his back arched forward; Jake and Diego both grabbing for him, fear on their faces and in their cries of his name.

 ** _"There!"_**  Quinn gasped, her hair rising in a storm around her, as Taylor was slammed back into Varyyn's mind. He watched the Vaanti desperately tap keys on the command panel, jerking back suddenly when he felt Taylors mind collide with his own.

 _"Taylor!"_  He called aloud, sensing his pain through their bond. He gasped, as the Heart began to radiate a blinding light. The sphere splintered open, revealing the portal within.

"It's  _open!"_  Michelle cried, drawing Taylor back to his own body, as Diego and Jake lifted him between them, draping his arms over their shoulders as he coughed and gagged, and tried to get his balance.

A sphere of purple light materialized on the rooftop, as the shadow of the lava wave darkened the sky. "What... are you...  _waiting_  for?" Taylor gasped, planting his feet and firmly shoving Diego and Jake into the portal.  _"Go!"_  He roared, falling to a knee at the back of the group, as the others raced to obey.

As the others leaped through, Taylor saw Grace trip and fall hard to the deck. An eroded crossbeam fell toward her ankle, and taylor growled, as he threw himself towards her. He saw the glitter of a strand of time, and he yanked it viciously, the beam slowing in its path as he rolled over her and dragged her away, before the beam crashed into the roof.

"Taylor!" She cried, as Aleister raced over, sweeping her from the ground and into his arms.  _"No!_  Help Taylor!" She yelled, as Taylor groaned and coughed, attempting to push himself to his hands and knees.

"Go!" Sean exclaimed, rushing over to Taylors side and throwing his arm over his broad shoulders, pulling him to his feet. "I've got him!" He said, using his other arm to sweep Taylor into his arms. "Just so you know, you  _owe_  me for this! I can already hear Jake complaining!" He yelled at Taylor, as he dove into the portal, just as the wave hit.

 _"Gah!"_  Taylor gasped, feeling a blast of heat behind them, before he felt himself stretch and shrink, dissolve and reconstitute; transmitted across dimensions and falling through quantum foam once again.  _"Ahhh!"_  He screamed, as a bright light flashed, and he rolled across the cold, rusted steel flooring, back at  **MASADA;**  the difference in temperature a sweet relief, if not for his burning body.

 _"Taylor!"_  Jake cried, straining against Craig and Raj's string arms, as Michelle raced to his side, and tried to hold him still.

 _"Quinn, Sean, Diego! Come help me_!" She demanded, scowling around them as they rushed to obey. Quinn wept openly, whispering words of comfort to him, as she held down a shoulder, Diego coming to his other side and murmuring quiet pleas to him; while Sean attempted to hold his body still, laying over his thighs as he held either side of his stomach firmly. "Come on, Taylor... Just another minute, okay... Hold on..." Michelle growled, working quickly to check him over and trying to encourage him to drink the healing plant water, only for him to cough and splutter, unable to swallow.

"Taylor!" Jake roared desperately, thrashing against the two large boys, as they watched Michelle work worriedly.  _"No!_  Get...  _offa_  me!  _Taylor!"_

" _Shut up already_!" Michelle snapped, as Taylors thrashing continued as strongly as ever. The blonde glared down at him, her eyes spilling tears over her cheeks even as they blazed with fierce intent. "You will  _not_  die on me, Taylor!" She ordered, hurrying to rummage through her bag and digging out a slim syringe. "There's more than one way to get this in your system!" She growled, about to uncap the needle, when Varyyn placed a hand on her wrist.  _"Wha-"_

"Wait." The Elyyshar said calmly, shifting her aside as he sat beside Taylor and quickly unstrapped his chest plate. As soon as the metal was removed, he set the Islands Heart onto Taylors chest, the crystal emanating a deep glow; as Taylor gasped and froze, his chest raised unnaturally into the air.

"Hey, what're y-" Jake growled, throwing himself against the restraining arms around him, almost succeeding in knocking the three of them to the floor.

 _"Wait."_  Varyyn said again, watching intently as Taylors eyes glazed over and his jaw slowly falling slack. With nimble fingers, Varyyn reached into Taylors mouth, and gently removed a tiny shard of dark green crystal. As soon as it was free from him, Taylor coughed and gasped for breath, blinking rapidly as his chest fell back to the floor with a soft thud.

 _"Taylor!"_  Jake called desperately, as Taylor groaned, his head pounding and chest aching from the close proximity of the Heart. Varyyn deftly collected the small shard, and the Islands Heart from his body, smiling down at him in blatant relief.

"I am pleased to see you again, my friend." He said warmly, before looking up to meet Diego's watering eyes. "He will be okay now... Well, I  _hope."_

"And you were doing so well, right up until that last bit..." Diego sighed, before wrapping his arm tightly around Varyyn's neck, the pair of them moving away slightly as Taylor slowly regained control of his breathing.

"Urgh...  _That_  sucked..." He croaked, as Quinn sobbed with laughter, burying her face in his shoulder as her small body heaved with great shudders of relief. "Hey..." He said, frowning as he patted her hair gently.

"I'll take her," Sean said, easing Quinn up from Taylors shoulder and drawing her into a hug. "You're gonna have your hands full." He said with a relieved grin, gesturing with his chin towards Craig and Raj. "Okay guys, let him go."

"Oh thank you,  _thank you!_ " Craig sighed, releasing his hold on Jake at the same time as Raj. "Man, I  _hate_  Jake duty..."

"Oh shi-" Taylor groaned, as Jake launched across the room, skidding straight past him and sliding back on his knees. "Hi, Top Gun." He said tiredly, smiling up at his pilot, as Jake scowled down at him and gripped his chin tightly.

 _"Never,_  pull that shit on me again, got it?" He demanded roughly, as Taylor huffed and raised his hand to Jake's cheek, brushing aside his hair gently.

"Scouts honour." He sighed, humming in contentment when Jake's lips sank to his own in a chaste but fierce kiss. "Sorry 'bout the-"

"I don't care." Jake growled quietly, his thumb tracing Taylors cheek as his eyes darted over his face intently, burning every detail to memory. "It is literally the last thing I care about right now... You're alive, you're fucking  _alive..!"_  He choked, his forehead coming to rest against Taylors, as his eyes closed in relief. "You're okay..."

 _"Hmm..."_  Taylor hummed, his fingers toying with Jake's hair gently. After sharing a tender moment of comfort, Taylor sighed, looking around as the others sprawled nearby, exhausted. "Uh, thanks..?" He hedged, groaning as he tried to sit up, his head swimming with dizziness. "Urgh..."

"You are officially the  _worst_  patient ever." Michelle said furiously, storming over as Jake helped Taylor sit up straight. She immediately enfolded him in a tight hug, her breath catching as his arms raised around her in return. "I hate you  _so_  much right now, Taylor." She sniffed, as Taylor felt his heart swell with affection at her blatant lie.

"It's okay," he said quietly, rubbing the blondes back softly. "I hate me too." He said, snorting when she whacked him on the shoulder. "Hey now, easy on the merchandise!" He said as she drew back, kissing his cheek before moving away to Sean's side.

"Thank you, by the way." Taylor said, saluting him roughly. "Just, makin' the rounds. Givin' my thanks." He said, nodding his head to each of his friends in turn, as his throat constricted with thick emotion. "Guys..." He choked out, before huffing a quiet laugh, as tears welled in his eyes.  _"Best_  friends  _ever."_  He sniffed, dragging the inside of his arm across his eyes roughly.

"Taylor..?" Quinn asked quietly, moving closer hesitantly. Her eyes were rimmed with a red similar to her hair, and they filled with fresh tears as he opened his arms to her.

"Quinn..!" He choked, folding his arms around her as she huddled into his chest. "Are you-"

"I'm okay." She said, her voice small as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, taking a deep shuddering breath as she held him close. "I'm me."

"That's  _not_  what I was worried about." He whispered furiously, pulling away to search her eyes. "You  _sure_  you're okay?" He asked, as she nodded quietly. "I can tell the cantaloupe joke again..." He offered, eliciting a tiny grin from her.

"Oh god,  _please no..._ " She finally giggled, her concern fading slightly as Taylor rubbed at her back gently. "That joke is  _really awful._  The worst, like,  _ever."_

"Hey!" He pouted, as Quinn giggled again, the sound more natural, as she moved to sit beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. Taylor leaned his cheek to her hair briefly, looking up at his pilot, who stubbornly refused to leave his side, but had turned away to give them some privacy. He pressed his forehead to Jake's shoulder, taking a deep breath and savouring the concern, love and affection he felt radiating from his friends. He sighed, and looked up to see Varyyn still locked into a tight hug with Diego.

"You are okay..." The Elyyshar muttered, his eyes running desperately over Diego. "I came as quickly as I could."

"Did ya miss me?" Diego asked, grinning cockily, as Taylor snorted and shook his head fondly.

"Why did you come back?" Varyyn demanded, shaking Diego lightly. "What did you see? What happened to-"

 _"Raan'losti."_  Taylor said quietly, cutting off Varyyn's intense questioning, as the humour in the room faded quickly. "We saw, Raan'losti. As for me... Suffice to say I have my answer about leaving." He said, as the Elyyshar furrowed his brow.

"This all makes little sense..." Varyyn finally said, shaking his head as he looked down over at Taylor. "Uqzhaal may have answers. We must return to Elyys'tel."

"The gondola." Quinn said suddenly, drawing away from Taylors embrace as her eyes widened, turning to look around the group in nervous hope. "We can get out that way, if we hurry... Security's still scrambled, right?" She said, her confidence growing quickly. "Maybe we can get across before they realize what's happened."

"Okay then, that's the plan." Taylor agreed, groaning as he shifted to his knees, rubbing his chest as he reached for the chest plate of his armour. "Find our way back up to the gondola, get back to Elyys'tel, and regroup-"

"No." Aleister said quietly, shaking his head angrily. "No,  _enough!"_  He said, drawing the group to turn and look back at him in surprised silence. He was leaning against the wall, with Grace by his side. Her face was flushed, but her gaze was hard, and Taylor realised that Aleister was more responding to a private argument with her, than disagreeing with him personally. "Enough plans! Enough adventures!" He growled, trying to take Grace's hand, only for her to yank it away.

"Easy, Malfoy, just-" Jake began, clapping Aleister on the back comfortingly, only for the pale boy to turned his irritation turned towards the pilot, swatting his arm away forcefully.

"No! We almost lost Grace and Taylor! Do you fail to  _realize_  that? He almost  _died_  just now, and it is only by sheer luck Grace was not injured!" He fumed, sneering at Jake furiously. "Your own affections may be fickle enough that that doesn't matter to you, but-"

"Hey, don't you presume to know-" Jake growled, his hand curling into a fist as he stepped towards Aleister, only for Sean to quickly draw him away.

"We are fighting against something, we cannot possibly understand." Aleister sighed, shaking his head forlornly. "And we will all of us, die."

"We'll be alright, bro." Craig offered reassuringly, though his expression showed his heavy concern, as he looked around his friends worriedly. "And Taylor's good now, yeah?" He said, half asking as he cut his glance towards Taylor, who merely shrugged as he finished reattaching his chest plate.

"Aleister, I promise you, I won't let anything happen-" Sean said pleadingly, as Aleister began to laugh hollowly.

"Ah, of course." He sneered, looking up at the athlete coldly. "And you've  _never_  failed to keep a promise, is that right, Sean?" He asked, a vicious smirk curling his lip as Sean visibly faltered.

"I-" the athlete began, only foe Aleister to growl and shake his head, as he pushed to his feet in frustration.

"Don't you understand?" He fumed, pushing the stunned athlete a step back from him. "You  _can't_  promise that. You can't promise  _anything_  anymore!" He cried, his fury fading as he ran a hand through his dishevelled hair. "The world is gone. The future is gone. We've lost." He said, shaking his head as he folded his arms over his chest. "It's over. It's all over."

Everybody looked at the floor, unconformable in the light of Aleister's accurate assessment of the world, though Taylor chose to ignore him. He recalled his salvaged materials from Olivia's office, and strolled to his abandoned Arachnid gear, carefully removing the swiped items. He glanced across the room, to find Estela leaning against a wall at the back of the group, frowning at the floor.

"Hey," he said quietly, as he approached her, shoving the items into her hands roughly. "Here, these're for you." He said, as she cupped her hands by automatic reaction, looking up at him in confusion. "When we were in your moms office, I figured... Well, you said you wanted something to remember her by. She had that pinned on her board..." He said, gesturing to the photograph of herself. "And that, well, I figured a smell is better than a video where she was, uh... Never mind." He coughed, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

Estela looked down at the items, her confusion clear in her expression. "I..." She gaped, uncertain how to react to the sudden gesture.

Taylor stood awkwardly for a moment, before noticing Diego looking at him. "Oh, look. Diego needs me... I uh, I should..." He hedged, stepping away as he cleared his throat. "Yeah. This is...  _Awkward."_  He said, averting his eyes and moving away to join Diego.

"What are you thinking, Taylor?" He asked, as Taylor blew out a deep breath with a faint chuckle.

"Women are  _confusing..."_  Taylor sighed, shaking his head as he glanced over at Estela, who was crouched low, tentatively examining the perfume.

"Dude," Diego snarked, budging his shoulder roughly. Taylor turned with a raised brow, to find Diego glaring at him in exasperation. "Little focus, maybe, dude?" He said, pointedly indicating towards Aleister with an indiscreet nod.

"Oh, right." Taylor said awkwardly, clearing his throat as he glanced over to the pale boy. "Well, we're  _definitely_  in way over our heads; and I think we're probably dead men walking if this keeps up..." He said lightly.

"Precisely." Aleister said, sighing in relief as somebody appeared to understand his feelings.

"Wow.  _Seriously,_  Taylor?" Sean asked, his face falling as he shook his head in disbelief. "Didn't take you for a quitter."

"Who said anything about quitting?" Taylor asked, frowning as he turned towards the athlete _. "I'm_  not. I'm just facing facts... But that doesn't mean I'm about to give in to Rourke or his insane scheme. Just because I think things are going to shit, doesn't mean I'm gonna stop fighting to undo what I just saw."

 _"There's_  my best friend," Diego said, sighing in relief as Taylor snorted and bumped their fists together fondly. "You had me worried for a minute there..." He admitted, grinning widely at Taylor.

Grace drew their attention, as she walked over and wrapped her arms around Taylor firmly. "Thank you, for saving me-" she began, only for Taylor to chuckle awkwardly.

"Oh, I didn't do much. It was all Sean and Aleister, really." He said, smiling down at her warmly, as she sighed, and turned towards Aleister resolutely.

"Aleister, I know it looks bad...  _Unfathomably_  bad..." She said, blinking as she considered the world they'd just escaped. "But, there's always hope. There  _has_  to be." She said firmly, walking over to clasp his hand gently.

"I wish I could believe that." Aleister said quietly, shaking his head as he raised her fingers to his lips.

"Look, are we making a run for the gondola, or not?" Zahra demanded, shifting as she glanced around in nervous discomfort. "Clocks ticking." She reminded them pointedly.

"It always is." Aleister sighed, as they gathered their things, and moved back to the door. Taylor took a deep breath, smiling as a familiar hand slid into his own. He glanced up to see Jake wink at him, before they scurried back the way they'd come, through the corridors of  **MASADA,**  while trying to avoid the patrols of Arachnid troops.

"I think we're almost there..." Zahra said, as they rounded a corner and moved as stealthily as they could through the corridor.

Taylor was about to reply, when he noticed Quinn's stoic expression. "Hey," he murmured, nudging ber gently. "You holding up okay?"

"Huh? Oh..." She sighed, her arms clasping together behind her back, as she shuffled down the hall with them. "I think so."

"You saved everyone back there," Taylor said, reaching for her shoulder and squeezing gently. "Somehow, you were able to connect with the Islands Heart, even from thousands of miles away." He said, as her frown deepened. "So... Thankyou. I know it's scary, for you... Letting that thing, the uh... the island... take over."

"Not as scary as losing you guys." She said slowly, shaking her head as she looked up at him. "I know this is serious. Each time I do it, I feel it lingering more and more... But in a way I'm used to it. I'm used to knowing something in my body, will eventually destroy me." She said, glancing down at her feet in resignation.

"Heh, all of us are temporary, Quinn." He replied, rubbing at his chest with a small frown. "Every last one of us, is a physical thing that weathers away... Killed by the very thing we were trying to keep alive." He said, shaking his head sadly. "It's so unfair, that you're facing this so young... Especially after having faced so much already." He sighed, before looking up at her with a small smile. "But, I just don't want you to feel like you're alone in this... Because you're not. _Not anymore_." He said, squeezing her shoulder, and drawing her closer.

"I guess you're right." She said, brightening slightly, and resting her head on his shoulder as they walked, her arm looping around his waist. "This is part of life... And my time is now." She sighed, a small, contented smile spreading across her face. "So, nothing's changed from before I came here. If my own body is going to erase me, then... I'm going to do all the good I can, in the time I have."

Taylor frowned, uncertain if his words had been taken in quite the way he intended, however before he could reply; he saw Aleister bump into a trash bin up ahead, knocking it over and scattering its contents across the floor.  _"Ack!"_  The pale boy sneered, glaring at the trash bin hatefully.

"Are you  _trying_  to attract attention?" Estela demanded, scowling as she checked the hallways for anyone who might have heard the commotion.

"Oh,  _gross!"_  Raj cried, jumping away from the bin and its contents. "Get away from that, yo! That bin says 'Biohazard Disposal' on it!" He yelped, waving his hands before him frantically as he squeezed his eyes shut and grimaced. "That means poop! Or blood!  _Or blood poop_!"

"Nasty, dude." Craig groaned, watching his friends erratic and panicked movements with a sad frown.  _"Please_  don't use those words together."

As Aleister and the others continued walking, Taylor paused by the overturned bin, glancing inside briefly. "I don't see anything gross in there," he said reassuringly. "It's just some crumpled paper, and... Huh?" He trailed off curiously, as his eyes caught the glimmer of amber beneath the remaining rubbish.

"It's one of those amber idols!" Quinn gasped, peering over his shoulder as he disentangled himself from Quinn's and Jake's hold, crouching by the bin hesitantly. "Are you gonna take it?" She asked curiously, as Jake groaned.

"Why'd ya go and ask him that?" The pilot sighed, watching worriedly as Taylor delicately picked up the idol with two fingers, and lifted it free from the garbage pile. Jake reached for him expectantly, folding him into his arms and holding him tight. "It's okay..." He murmured reassuringly.

"Uh..." Taylor hummed, trying not to laugh at the pilots genuine show of concern. "Top Gun..?" He said, squeezing his pilot briefly, before drawing free. He couldn't help a small snigger however, when he caught sight of Jake's confused expression.

"Are you okay, Jake?" Quinn asked, resting her hand on his arm in concern, as she gazed up at him with wide eyes. "You're making a funny face."

"What?!" Jake huffed, his cheeks dusting pink as he quickly rearranged his expression into a scowl. "'Course I am." He grumbled, as Quinn glanced between the two, before tactfully slipping ahead to catch up to the others. "What the-"

"I have to be touching it at the same time as Aleister, to see whatever visions are trapped inside." Taylor explained, biting his lip briefly as he slid his hand into Jake's. "But I appreciate your preemptive show of affection." He said with a small giggle, leaning up to press a kiss to the pilots cheek.

"Shut up..." Jake groused, his cheeks darkening as he squeezed Taylors hand and tugged him after the others. Taylor smiled at his embarrassment, looking up to see Aleister walking far ahead with the rest of the group. He sighed, and stuffed the idol into his bag, as they caught up to Quinn at the back of the group.

"So," she said, glancing at them as they settled beside her. "What was something so valuable doing in a trash vin, of all places?" She asked thoughtfully, frowning as she looked at their friends just ahead of them. "And why a biohazard one?"

"Maybe someone was trying to hide it?" Taylor suggested, sniggering quietly as Jake huffed and strolled ahead of them, still embarrassed about his preemptive show of affection. "Rourke was pretty keen on collecting these... I can't believe he'd just, throw this one out."

Quinn was about to reply, when they reached a closed, automatic doorway. Jake hit the touch panel, causing it to beep and flash, but ultimately remain closed. "Huh." He growled, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Access denied. Looks like we hit a dead end." He said, scowling at the door as if his fury alone might convince it to open.

"Let me try." Aleister said thoughtfully, striding up behind him. "I was able to activate my fathers computer at The Celestial..." He said, reaching out to press his hand to the panel, resulting in the door silently sliding open.

"Nicely done." Jake praised, patting him on the back with a wide grin. "I knew you'd come in 'handy'."

 _"Jaaaake..!"_  Taylor groaned quietly, hiding his red face, and a huge grin by burying his face in his hands. He peeked through his fingers to see Jake still grinning proudly at Aleister, while the pale boy stared back at him blankly.

"Are you finished?" Aleister finally sighed, raising his brow as Jake's face fell into a sad pout.

"... Yeah." The pilot said quietly, as the group began to move forward again. Taylor shook his head, clipping between his friends to grasp the pilots and hand squeeze his hand affectionately.

"Hey, how'd you like to be 'handy' yourself later?" Taylor asked quietly, and Jake snorted as he looked down at him with a cocky grin, his melancholy forgotten.

"Trust me, Boy Scout; I'm  _way_  ahead of you on that plan." He snickered, winking and waggling his eyebrows suggestively, as they continued through the winding halls of  **MASADA.**

Suddenly a set of video monitors nearby flickered, and on every screen; Everett Rourke smiled serenely. "Hello, Aleister." He said smugly, his eyes flashing with glee.

"Dammit." Estela snarled, glaring at the mans smug face. "He's onto us!" She growled, urging everyone to move faster down the hall. Taylor glared at Rourke's smug face a moment more, before darting after his friends, a tendril of fear twisting in his gut.

"I received an alert, that my DNA signature, was being used to access restricted areas." Rourke explained calmly, his fingers tapping at a desk they couldn't see. "Finding this curious, as you are to be in custody, I reviewed my security systems; only to find a very subtle worm manipulating its data." He chuckled, beaming a wide grin into whatever camera he had before him. "No doubt, the work of Zahra Namazi... My dear guests, you are every bit as resourceful as I could have hoped!"

"Ignore him." Taylor barked roughly, weaving his way through the group to find Aleister. "Just keep moving." He said, leading them all into a jog, pushing them to thread their way faster through the halls. Around every bend however, more monitors glowed, showing Rourke's unnatural grin.

"Oh, junior, how your recent cleverness makes me regret all our time apart!" Rourke sighed, his expression morphing into something close to wistful, if not for the touch of calculation. "Perhaps... You would've been a worthy successor, after all."

Taylor glanced up at Aleister, noticing the pale boy swallowing heavily as his brow creased with sadness. "Remember, Aleister... He won't hesitate to lie to you, just to get what he wants." He warned, his eyes darting hatefully to the monitors.

"Does this guy  _ever_  shut up?" Michelle groaned, covering her ears with her hands for a moment to drown the man out.

"Aleister," Taylor tried again, as the pale boy glanced down at him. "Just remember that he's messing with you." He said firmly, glancing back at Estela when she snorted.

"Sure." She sneered, scowling at him furiously, before throwing a baleful glare towards Aleister. "Tell him he's his fathers puppet. That'll help."

"No. Taylor is right." Aleister sighed, running a hand over his hair distractedly. "My father manipulates everyone around him..." He said, glancing down at Taylor thoughtfully.

"Aleister, look!" Grace cried, pointing straight ahead to where another hallway connected two wards of the complex, with sealed hatches at each end.

"The security station is here..." Aleister said, hesitating beside a row of panels. "I'll try to override, using my fathers ID."

"I must admit I was wrong about you." Rourke tried again, his voice ringing with desperation. "The way you've handled yourself. The way you've defied overwhelming odds... After all this time, you've come into your own!" He said, beaming proudly from the monitors. "You remind me... Of myself."

"The cretin thinks I'll fall for this..." Aleister sneered, as he tapped through several screens, then pressed his hand down onto the panel. The first door slid open, and everyone ran inside quickly.

"We're in! Get the next hatch, and we're through, Aleister!" Taylor called, smiling over his shoulder at the pale boy.

"On it." Aleister called back, already busy tapping at the screen once more.

"I handled this all wrong." Rourke sighed, his face falling into a parody of sadness. "I discarded you, and now you will be my undoing... But that is not what breaks my heart."

"You don't have a heart, you worthless bastard!" Taylor yelled, flaring at the screen as he recalled all the ways he'd seen his friends die; because of one man, and his dream to rule supreme.

"What breaks my heart, is knowing how this will end. Knowing that I drove you to this... Knowing that I drove you, to get your friends killed." Rourke said sadly, ignoring Taylors interjection, as he noticed Aleister hesitate for a second. "You're more like me than either of us wished to admit."

"He's nothing like you! You-" Taylor began, only for Rourke to continue to speak over him.

"Too stubborn to admit, we're in over our heads." Rourke said loudly, shaking his head as he sighed forlornly. "All I can do is think about what we could have accomplished together... Together, we could have restored the world! We could have undone the harm, of this terrible eruption..."

"You see?" Taylor demanded, his eyes blazing with fury as he met Aleister's shocked gaze. "He knew.  _He knew!_  All along!" He spat, as Aleister's expression turned thoughtful.

"How we could have built a paradise for us... For your friends..." Rourke continued, his tone turning smug, as a calculating clean cut through his gaze. "For Grace." He said slowly, as Aleister stiffened, his expression darkening as hisbhabd curled into a ball. "We could have even saved your mother. And now, because of what I've done to drive you away... My son... you're going to erase the only chance we had, at bringing her back."

Aleister's face turned cold, a shutter closing behind his eyes as he made his decision. Taylor caught his brief glance, the pale boys hand hovering over the control panel, and he choked as he realized what he was about to do. "Wait! Aleister!  _Don't-"_  he called, sprinting back towards the pale boy.

"I'm sorry." Aleister said, moving his hand to the side to press a different panel.

"No!" Taylor gasped, slamming into the first hatch as it sealed between them, trapping them all inside. "Aleister, listen to me; it's too late for this to work... He's already reconfigured Iris! He already erased your mother!" He said, his eyes frantic as he considered the visions he'd seen. "Aleister this was a plan to get  _in,_  not to get  _out..._  Please, don't do this..!" He pleaded, as the pale boy watched him sadly.

"I'm sorry." He repeated, standing stiffly, as the others came rushing over. "This is the only way."

"What the  _hell?"_  Craig cried, slamming his shoulder against the hatch futilely.

"He locked us in!" Sean growled, adding his weight to Craig's and pounding on the door.

"Aleister!" Grace cried, her eyes wide in disbelief. "What are you  _doing?!_  Let us through!"

Aleister slowly stepped up to the small glass porthole in the hatch, swallowing thickly as he peered through at them. "This is for your own good." He said, his voice muffled through the porthole. "I know you'll see that,  _one day._ " He said, lowering his gaze to Taylors.

" _You slimy son of a bitch!"_  Jake snarled, slamming his fist into the hatch, as he scowled at the pale boy hatefully. "You've got  _five seconds_  to rethink this!"

"Open the hatch." Estela demanded calmly, her eyes blazing with a fury Taylor had never seen before, even when she had fought with Lila. "Right now."

Grace stepped up to the glass, just inches from Aleister, as Taylor moved away; panicking as he envisioned his friends being taken away and forced into cells. "How  _could_  you..." She asked, slowly shaking her head in disbelief.

"Don't you understand?" Aleister asked brokenly, his eyes pleading as they locked onto hers. "My fathers right... He's always been right. If we keep running, we'll all just get killed." He said, his eyes darting to Taylor. "We'll be as dead as those skeletons back in Hartfeld.  _Jake?_  Sean? Estela? They can't protect you. Not from this..." He sneered, his meaning clear as he looked at the shining armour Taylor wore.

"Leave me out of it, what happened to me had nothing to do with the state of the world!" He growled, frustration nipping at him, as Aleister tipped his head in acquiescence.

"Well, regardless." Aleister said, his expression hardening as he looked back at Grace determinedly. "If they won't keep you from getting killed, Grace... I will."

"By selling us out?" Grace asked sadly, resting her hands against the glass. "To your father?!"

Aleister was silent for a second, and Taylor saw his jaw clench brief moment, before he shrugged casually. "He's a genius." He said lightly, averting his eyes. "He built this facility. Built that Gate." He said, his eyes locking onto Taylor determinedly. "If there's anyone who can fix this... Anyone who can protect us... It's  _him."_

"But, dude, he's  _evil!"_  Diego cried, as Taylor looked away from Aleister, his hands rising to pull at his hair, as he began to hyperventilate.

"You don't think I know that?" Aleister chuckled, though there was no amusement in the dry sound. "But right now," Aleister said, drawing Taylors gaze back to him, and levelling him with a firm glare. "He's our only chance." He sighed heavily, glancing away briefly before looking around them all slowly, accepting their fury and their hatred. "You'll thank me one day. You'll  _live_  to thank me. That's what counts." He said, his eyes closing as the doors behind Aleister opened, and several Arachnid troops surged through.

Taylor looked back at the far hatch, the way they'd been planning to flee, and he considered the half formed plan they'd made.  _Uqzhaal doesn't know what's going on, he never did, not really.._. He thought, taking a deep breath as he tried to hastily gather his emotions and thoughts together.  _I can make this a big thing, and ruin any chance we have of escaping... Or, I can work with him and maybe, just maybe, we can get some of the information Rourke's been keeping from us. Maybe then, we can finally figure this out.._. He sighed, turning towards the pale boy with a heavy heart, as he moved closet to the glass. "Aleister..." He said, waiting for the pale boys eyes to open and fix onto him. "I forgive you." He said, the words heavy on his tongue, as his friends gasped and clampured behind him.

"You... You do?" Aleister choked, his eyes widening as he peered at Taylor in surprise. He glanced quickly at the soldiers, stepping closer to the hatch as Taylor nodded.

"You  _do_?!" Craig demanded, choking on whatever other words he had planned to say, and shaking his head in disgust.

"Yeah." Taylor said quietly, swallowing heavily as he glanced at the jock. "It hurts... it  _really_  hurts."  _If only because I'm terrified it'll result in all your deaths, and will be all my fault_... He added silently, taking a deep breath as he looked back at Aleister determinedly. "But... I  _understand."_  He said firmly.

Aleister's shoulders visibly drooped, tears of relief welling in his eyes as he sighed. "... Good."

"Taylor... What're you saying?" Quinn whispered, stepping up beside him, her eyes flitting between his and Aleister's locked gaze. "He's  _betraying_  us..." She said slowly, as if he might have mistaken what was going on.

"You can't be serious." Sean said scathingly, staring at Taylor with an incredulous scowl.

" **Step back!** " An Arachnid soldier ordered, and Aleister turned away, finally breaking away from Taylors gaze, as he let the troops close in. Once the soldiers had them covered from every angle, they opened the hatch.  **"Out! Slowly! Hands in the air!"**

Taylor swallowed heavily, his heart thundering in his chest, as each of them raised their hands over their heads and cautiously stepped out into the control room. A dozen sub machine guns were aimed point blank at them.

"So, uh," Jake coughed quietly, glancing at Taylor nervously, before looking over at Sean. "Any great ideas right about now, Cap?"

Sean looked around the weapons aimed at them, before slowly looking back at Jake and shrugging his shoulders helplessly. "I've got nothin'."

The soldiers parted, and Taylor grit his teeth hard, as Rourke entered, followed by Lundgren, and Lila. "I must say, I'm getting quite the sense of déjà vu at the moment." Rourke chuckled, a noticeable bounce in his step, as he looked over them all smugly. "Then again, we all know how this place plays tricks with time."

"That's the  _last_  time you make me chase you, Wolf." Lundgren spat darkly, glaring at Jake furiously.

"Gettin' tired?" Jake sneered, scowling at his ex commander in disgust. "I could do this all day, you mechanized sack of-"

Rourke held up his hand, for silence, looking over Zahra, Sean, Craig with amusement; before finally, his gaze lingered on Taylor. "You four entered disguised. Quite brilliant." He deduced quickly, clicking his tongue thoughtfully. "Was this  _your_  brilliant plan, Taylor?" He asked slyly, chuckling to himself fondly.

"We're a team." Taylor sneered, his eyes filled with contempt and disgust as he ran them over the tyrannical man. "Not something you'd have any ability to relate to."

"How delightfully humble." Rourke said, ignoring his jibe. "Now then..." He said, stepping towards Varyyn, who was flanked by Arachnid soldiers, already holding him back. Even with three of them, they struggle to restrain him. Rourke dug into Varyyn's satchel, and withdrew the Islands Heart.

 _"No!"_  Varyyn snarled, straining at the guards holding him, as he attempted to strike out at Rourke and reclaim the Heart.

"It's beautiful..." Rourke said, staring at the crystal in awe. "Isn't it, Lila?" He asked, veamong a wide grin at his assassin.

"Yes, Mr. Rourke." She agreed, smiling softly at his joyful expression. "It is."

"So much energy, in so small a thing..." Rourke continued, ignoring Lila's response entirely, as he narrowed his eyes and turned the Heart in his fingers curiously. "It seems I've never been more wrong in my life..." He said, a wide grin spreading across his face as he laughed at his own folly.

"You talking about the day you picked out that suit?" Jake scoffed, glaring at the well dressed man hatefully.

"For years, I believed the eleven of you would lead me to The Endless." Rourke said, barely noticing any of them as he lost himself to his own thoughts. "That you were the keys to unlocking its secrets... But all this time, your destiny was to lead me to  _this."_

"Father?" Aleister asked hesitantly, shooting a nervous look at Taylor, who ignored the pale boy, and continued to scowl at Rourke. "I don't understand." He pressed, his voice tinged with concern.

"I no longer have use for The Endless." Rourke said dazedly, staring at the crust as his brows raised in incredulity. "I no longer have use for  _any_  of  _you._  I must thank you, frankly."

"So, you'll keep them safe. As you said." Aleister pressed urgently, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. "You will not harm them?"

"Are you kidding?" Rourke choked, finally tearing his eyes from the Heart, as he gripped it tightly and spun towards Aleister. "Of course I won't harm them! I have no reason to!"

"Tell that to your rabid dog." Estela snarled, glaring towards where Lila was half hidden behind him.

"Easy, pipsqueak-" Lundgren growled, his teeth gnawing at his cigar, almost biting the end clean off.

"I'm talking about her,  _dumbass."_  Estela snorted, jerking her chin towards the assassin.

"I've no reason to harm them at all..." Rourke said, his unnatural smile returning, along with the sly glont to his gaze. "Provided they don't give me one."

Aleister narrowed his eyes, his gaze flitting from his father to Taylor, who finally met his gaze. "Well?" He asked, his eyes loaded with questions he couldn't voice. "Will you let me keep you safe?" He asked pointedly, before taking a calculated step closer. "Will you  _surrender_  peacefully?"

Taylor drew in a deep breath, slowly looking around his friends one by one, and finally sighed heavily as he returned his eyes to Aleister's. "We surrender." He said, as the pale boy nodded discreetly.

 _"Wow."_  Estela scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief and disgust, and scowling as she looked away.

"As you can see, Father," Aleister said, his eyes sweeping around the room quickly. "My friends are no longer a threat." He promised, as he briefly locked his gaze on a nearby computer terminal.

"Nuh uh." Raj sneered, the large boy scowling at the pale boy with undisguised disappointment. "You lost the right to call me your friend."

"Shut the hell up, Raj." Michelle said, scowling at him in irritation. "It's the only play Taylor has."

"We shall imprison you, in moderate comfort, until the conclusion of this... experiment." Rourke said thoughtfully, smirking as he strut before them all proudly.

"We had a deal, Rourke." Lundgren snarled, his furious glare turning to the well suited man.

"And I will keep my bargain," Rourke snapped, glaring at the Arachnid commander. "As I said, at the conclusion."

"Better hope you do." Lundgren snorted, his gaze falling on to Jake's cocky expression, as Taylors gut clenched nervously.

"Ha!" Jake snorted, grinning smugly at his ex commander. "Look at  _you,_  taking orders, Lundgren." He sniggered, before pointing at Rourke's oxford shoes with his brows raised. "I see a spot on Rourke's shoes could use a licking."

"Jake..." Taylor pleaded, though his pilot ignored him, still sniggering to himself as Lundgren sneered back at him.

"Your time's comin', Wolf." Lundgren promised darkly, his expression turning cocky, as his eyes slid over to Taylor briefly, before returning to Jake. "Sooner than ya think." He said, marching out with a sneer.

"Relieve them of their belongings, then take them below." Rourke said to the remaining troops, but it was Aleister who marched towards Taylor quickly.

"While I am gratified to have your support, you need to show some resistence, Taylor." Aleister whispered, as he grabbed at his bag.

"What the hell do you want me to do? I am  _not_  a performer!" Taylor whispered furiously, scowling at the pale boy as he pulled his bag out of Aleister's reach. "What the hell do we do now, exactly? How the hell are we supposed to get out of here?!"

"I'm going to attempt to reinstall Zahra's programme, and have it open the path to the helipad. From there, it's on your pilot." Aleister muttered, scowling as he stepped closer and loomed over Taylor.

"And you, what are  _you_  gonna do?" Taylor whispered, glancing around as the others were stripped of their things, a pile forming in the corner. "Iris is already reconfigured, it would take a  _miracle_  to get her back... Aleister; this is a really,  _really_  bad plan-"

"It's  _your_  plan, Taylor, of course it's awful." Aleister grumbled quickly. "I've made my choice." The pale boy added stiffly, a sneer curling his top lip upwards. "I'll not abandon my mother to that maniac... Whatever state she's in." He said firmly, successfully grabbing hold of Taylors bag. "I'll find out what I can. But the rest is up to you." The pale boy said, flashing a brief wink at him. "You're far better suited to adventuring, anyway."

"... Good luck, Aleister." Taylor murmured quickly, though no less earnestly; and pulling back on his bag, only for the snake head idol to tumble out. Taylor gasped, reaching for it as Aleister did, the two of them just grasping it at the same time.

The world around them vanished in a flash of white, and Taylor felt the familiar sensation of being wrenched back through time. The light cleared, to reveal an auditorium, packed with serious looking men and women, wearing expensive suits. Upon the stage, pacing back and forth, framed in a bold white spotlight; was Rourke himself. "Which brings us to my final point..." Rourke said, projecting his voice for those in the back, as he prowled across the stage with a smug smirk. "That in the end, for all our technology, for all our progress, we are still collectively bound to the same wheel as our ancestors were, ten thousand years ago." He said, stopping to gaze around the audience with a calculated coolness. "We are born. We age. Sometimes, we breed." He added with a faint chuckle, allowing the few titters from the crowd to quiet down before continuing. "And then... we die." He said quietly, picking out individual faces in the crowd to share a brief gaze with, before moving across the stage again.

"For all our achievements, all our victories and defeats, all our moments of joy and sorrow... We end up as nothing but dust." He said, coming to an abrupt halt in the centre of the stage, and throwing his arms in the air. "We have shattered the atom... Set foot on the moon... Built networks that instantly connect the whole world... And yet, we are all still slaves to time." He said quietly, drawing the crowd closer, as he smirked victiriously at them all. "This, then, is the true final frontier. Not space. Not life. But time... And Rourke International, as always, will lead the way." He said dramatically, basking in his glory, as the room burst into applause.

Taylor noticed a solitary young man, sitting with his arms crossed, looking just as skeptical as he himself felt. As the conference ended and Rourke made his way off stage, Aleister finally began to move. Rourke shook hands with a few colleagues, accepting their praise with blatant satisfaction, but as he stepped out back; Aleister intercepted him. "Father."

"Aleister." Rourke said, sounding genuinely confused to see the pale boy. "Now this is an unexpected surprise. What are you doing at RourkeCon?" He asked, as he checked through his pockets.

"Inwas in town for an interview, and I thought I'd stop by." Aleister drawled, eyeing his fathers obvious disinterest with irritation. "Had to buy my own ticket, of course..." He added scathingly.

"Invitations are for Rourke employees." Rourke said teasingly, wagging his finger as he eyed Aleister's jumper pointedly. "And I don't see your badge."

"You know  _damn_  well I don't work for you." Aleister sneered furiously, scowling at his father, as Rourke shrugged.

"I only hire the very best." He said dismissively, clearly enjoying himself as he incited Aleister's temper further.

"And I..." Aleister growled, before catching himself. He sighed deeply, collecting himself as his father pouted, obviously disappointed Aleister had managed to reign in his temper. "I thought you should know..." Aleister said calmly, folding his arms over his chest superiorly. "I've been accepted to a Master's program. It's at the Hoffman-Conahan School for Business. The most prestigious, business program in the country." The pale boy explained proudly, pausing as he let the announcement sink in. "They've offered me a full scholarship."

"Hm." Rourke hummed, looking up at Aleister in consideration. "Is that all?" He asked dismissively, rolling his eyes as he turned away.

"Well, I..." Aleister stammered, his pride forgotten as he stared at his father in hurtful longing. "I just thought you should-"

"By the time I was your age, I'd built a prototype jetpack, with my bare hands." Rourke bragged, sighing as he shook his head in disappointment. "I'd climbed Kilimanjaro. I'd made myself a millionaire. And you expect me to... what?" He asked, his brows raising as he peered up at Aleister curiously. "Pat you on the back because my name got you into some fancy little grad program?"

"It  _wasn't_  your name!" Aleister fumed, his fury restoked by his fathers callous and cruel words. "I did it! _I earned_  it!"

"Tell yourself whatever you want, son." Rourke sneered, stepping around the pale boy. "Come to me when you've actually done something  _worth_  praising. Now, if you'll excuse me... I believe I have a jet to catch." He said, walking away to leave Aleister alone, fuming to himself.

"I'll prove you wrong." Aleister promised darkly, his eyes narrowing hatefully. "You  _bastard..."_  He whispered furiously, his hands balled into tight fists. "I'll make it all on my own... I don't need you." He said, his face falling to something broken, as the scene melted. Taylor felt his heart throb with compassion, as he felt himself lurched out of the moment, hurled headlong, forward in time; into the master bedroom at the Elysian Resort.

Aleister sat alone on the bed, gazing out, a strange and haunted look on his face. "Well, well. So it comes to this." He sighed, as someone knocked on the door. Aleister rose slowly, using a polished cane to help himself walk. "Come in." He called, and seconds later, an Arachnid soldier entered, holding a report.

 **"Sir."**  They greeted, saluting him as they stood by the door.

"Well?" Aleister barked, snapping his fingers. "Don't dilly-dally. How bad is it?" He asked tiredly, accepting the file from the soldier.

 **"Namazi's Killswitch virus has decimated our operation, sir**." The troop reported, quickly relaying all the information within the papers Aleister browsed.  **"MASADA, the Observatory, the Daedalus station... they're all gone. Our force is down to less than a dozen men. We're on the ropes**."

"The Celestial?" Aleister asked curiously, glancing up at the soldier in resigned expectation.

" **Still ours... But the Hostiles are on the march.** " The soldier reported dutifully, ducking their head regretfully. " **They'll retake it by sunrise."**

"And... My father?" Aleister asked tiredly, heaving a deep and weary sigh, as he allowed the papers to fall to the bed.

" **I'm sorry, sir. He's dead**." The soldier reported quietly, shaking their head in commiseration of the loss. " **Namazi shot him."**

"I see." Aleister said, turning to gaze out the window thoughtfully. "So... What did you add up to, old man? What did you end up, in the end? Nothing... but  _dust."_  He murmured, staring out at the snowy landscape, and thebtowering columns of smoke, reaching up from all over the island.

" _Gaze upon my works, ye mighty... and despair_." He whispered, shaking his head slowly, before clearing his throat loudly. "Well, then. Enough self pity. Time to work." He said, turning back towards the door, only to find the soldier was no longer standing there waiting for him. Instead he was lying on the floor, unconscious, and in his place; was a demon.

At least that's what Taylor thought he looked like in the vision, his face torn by a furious snarl, and his outfit was stained with blood. Taylors heart lurched, when he saw the dogtags, hung around his neck, and he felt the emotions his vision self swarm through him. Hatred, betrayel, heartbreak; everything sworled together to make a terrifying cocktail of overwhelming fury.  _"You."_  The Taylor in the vision growled, his voice hoarse and broken.  _"Traitor."_  He spat accusingly, as he glared at Aleister viciously.

 _"Taylor!"_  Aleister gasped, staring him in wide eyed shock, as he staggered back to press against the glass. "H... how are you..." He stammered, shaking his head in disbelief. "You're supposed to be..."

Taylor watched himself pace toward Aleister, like a predator cornering its prey, as his hands balled into tight fists. "You  _lied_  to us, you  _bastard."_  Taylor growled, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "You sold us out." He accused, his scowl deepening, as his fury spewed forth. " _To Rourke!_ " He spat in disgust, fingering at the papers Aleister had allowed to fall to the bed. "And for  _what?_  A seat at his table? A pat on the back?" Taylor asked, reigning in his temper slightly, as he looked up at Aleister with a fierce glare.

"I did what I had to do." Aleister defended, straightening himself proudly against the glass, and scowling back at Taylor determinedly. "I don't regret it."

Taylor watched himself cross the room quickly, cornering Aleister against the glass. _"They're all dead, Aleister_!" He roared, punching the glass and causing the pale man to flinch, as the glass cracked beneath Taylors bloody hand. "Because of your father!" He cried, his eyes welling with tears as he glared at Aleister hatefully. "Because of  _you."_  He whispered brokenly, shaking his head in disgust, before he spit in Aleister's face.

"You can't blame  _me,_  for every single thing that went wrong on this island!" Aleister fumed, attempting to tower over Taylor with his superior height, but failing as Taylor pushed him back against the glass.

"I can blame your father." Taylor said quietly, his eyes running over Aleister in obvious disgust. "And instead of standing up to him, you took his side." Taylor sneered, his eyes blazing with hatred. "You chose  _him_  over  _us."_

He stepped back, pacing as he held up his hands and ticked their names off his fingers. "Over Raj. And Michelle. Over Zahra, Craig and Diego..." He paused, reaching for the dogtags around his neck and swallowing heavily as his eyes welled with tears for his lost friends, and his pilot. "Over Jake..." He choked out, his furious glare turning back to Aleister. "Estela, Sean and Quinn..." His glare broke from his face for the first time, disbelief and grief contorting his expression instead. "Over Grace."

At her name, Aleister's eyes softened, and he took a deep breath. "Whatever you're going to do, Taylor, do it." The pale man said, looking over at the man he'd once called friend. "Otherwise, you're just wasting time... and time is all we have."

Taylor watched himself pause, before walking over to Aleister and meeting his gaze with the first truly calm expression he'd worn throughout the entire vision. "In another life, Aleister, I think you could've been a good person..." Taylor said quietly, his gaze almost friendly, until the pain, hatred and anger consumed him once more; morphing his expression back into a furious snarl. "...  _but not this one._ " He spat, shoving Aleister hard with both hands. The pale man flew backwards, shattering through the window. Taylor watched himself step calmly to the gaping hole in the window, watching Aleister scream as he plummeted down, down, down; before smashing into cold hard earth below.

With a flash, Taylor found himself back at  **MASADA,**  as Aleister tore the idol from his grip and stuffed it back into his bag. "Stop. It's over, Taylor." Aleister growled, as Taylor glared at him, still overwhelmed by th furious hatred from within the idol's vision. All he could see, burnt into his memory, was the look on Aleister's face; as he died, by Taylors own hands.

"... Not yet it's not." He muttered, and Aleister paused, seeming to sense the sudden shift in his mood. He quickly caught himself however, joining the other guards to add Taylors things to the growing pile in the corner.  _Oh god... Please don't let me have come up with the plan which got everyone killed_... He thought desperately, taking a deep breath in an attempt to cast away the lingering fury from the idol. He caught Jake's worried look, and shook his head discreetly, before looking back at Aleister.

"Good work, my boy." Rourke praised quietly, smirking as he tipped his head through the door behind him. "Meet me in my office."

Aleister moved to comply, before hesitating and turning back. "Wait. I..." He said, his face falling guiltily. "I don't want Grace to be imprisoned." He said, walking up to the girl herself. "I'll make sure you're treated well and-"

Aleister cut off abruptly, as Grace slapped him hard across the face, leaving a stinging red mark. "Don't you..." She sniffed, holding her obviously stinging hand to her chest. "Speak to me...  _ever_  again." She mumbled, her voice thick with tears as she glared at him broken-heartedly.

Aleister gave a simple, curt nod, glancing up at Taylor as he swallowed heavily, before turning to leave. He paused beside his father, barely turning to the man as he spoke quietly. "I still want her kept in her own residence." He said firmly, ignoring his cheek to meet his fathers gaze determinedly. "Not a cell."

"Very well." Rourke said, snapping his fingers at a mercenary, who grabbed Grace, and dragged her off after Aleister.

The room fell silent, Taylor and his friends finding themselves left alone with Rourke, Lila, and several Arachnid troops. "So..." Diego finally caved, breaking the tense silence around them. "Are we, back to the Ghostbusters part now?"

"You mean the containment?" Rourke chuckled, a broad grin lighting his face as he shook his head. "Oh, no, no, no. That's no longer necessary... Well, except for your little friend, Taylor there." He said, snapping his fingers at another soldier, who clamped Taylors arms behind him.

"Hey!" He growled, immediately thrashing against the restraining guard, as he was separated from his friends. "Get your hands-"

"Hey, get your  _goddamn_  hands offa him!" Taylor heard Jake snarling, and he looked over to see his pilot struggling against the soldiers between them, his furious glare locked onto the soldier restraining his arms.

 _"Jake!"_  He cried, throwing his weight against the arms holding him, his heart racing and his eyes welling with tears.

"Well, this is very amusing, but I have what I need now." Rourke said smugly, sighing with satisfaction. "Lila?" He called lightly, as he beamed a wide and unnatural grin around them all.

"Yes, Mr. Rourke?" Lila asked, stepping forward and glancing at Taylor briefly, before looking to her master.

Rourke's smile turned sinister, his eyes glinting with malicious glee, as he chuckled dryly, before finally completing her orders. "...  _Kill them all."_


	17. Self-Destruct

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um... its 3am and i should probably be sleepin' but i was determined to try and get this finished...
> 
> So. This is sorta it... there will be another interim and an elilogue - but otherwise..  
> Book 2; complete...
> 
> I gotta say; your comments were AMAZING. I cried. It was a terrible thing to behold, im sure XD  
> But youre all so amazing; thankyou so so much xxxx i love you beyond words.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this; and hope to finish this story up this weekend... to begin the ultimate; le conclusion... lets hope indont screw anything up! :'D
> 
> Thankyou so much for reading, and supporting and just for being so goddamn awesome. Thankyou
> 
> x My love to you all x

_**Dear Jake;** _

_This journey through time, space, whatever... It's all been so surreal. One day, we're playing on a beach, the next we're celebrating New Years, and then; we're right back to being in some sorta life threatening situation... And everytime, my heart it just... Stops. The thought of losing any of you; especially you... has always been such a low blow._

_Of course, speaking of blows; we certainly struck our own! I think you enjoyed it a little more than was strictly necessary... But, I'll let you off._

_If only because you paid for it already_.

**17.**

**Self-Destruct**.

Taylor froze, his heart thundering so hard in his chest, he thought it might break through. His terrified gaze locked onto his friends, clustered together in a  **MASADA**  lab, surrounded by Arachnid troops. His lips chanted a desperate denial he couldn't even hear, over the rushing of his own blood in his ears, as he finally broke free of his frozen state to turn to Rourke urgently. "Don't.  _Please."_  He pleaded, thrashing against the soldier restraining him. "I'll do whatever you want, just  _please_  don't hurt them..."

"Ah, ah, ah, Taylor." Rourke hummed, wagging his finger back and forth playfully. "Fool me once, as they say. Although, I suppose there are no cliffs around here, at least." He said, smirking as he strolled over and peered down at Taylor thoughtfully. "You would truly do  _anything_  for all of them, or is there a  _special_  one you would choose to save?" He asked curiously, as Taylors eyes darted over his friends, lingering on each of their faces, before turning back to Rourke.

 _"Please,_  I'll do anything." He pleaded quietly, his heart hammering in his chest. "They're my  _family."_  He whispered, his eyes filling with tears as he tried to swallow down the thick emotions clogging his airway.

"Taylor, I am  _truly_  touched." Rourke said quietly, running his eyes over him thoughtfully. "So,  _you're_  telling  _me;_  if I just let them live, keep them safe... You'll do  _whatever_  you're told."

"Yes." Taylor replied immediately, closing his eyes in resignation of whatever task he might be given.

"Well, I'm sure you understand why I'm hesitant to take you at your word, Taylor..." Rourke said, feigning a sad frown. He stepped closer slowly, walking around Taylor thoughtfully. "Would you, tell me everything you know about The Endless?"

"Yes." Taylor said, without even hesitating to consider.  _What do I really know, anyway? He can have everything.._. He thought, biting his lip as he heard Rourke hum in consideration.

"I see." Rourke said smugly, his footsteps leading away towards the restrained group of Taylors friends. "And you would... commit to the cause? You'd allow yourself to be studied, and explain just how you managed to evade my every attempt to find you?"

"Yes." Taylor said, gritting his teeth together, as his hands balled into fists. He tried to block out the pain in his heart, the fear clenching his gut tight; and tried to focus on the tiny flicker of hope, that he might save his friends after all.

"Well this is going just swimmingly, Taylor. You're doing marvelously, really... But, let's try something a little more taxing, shall we?" Rourke asked slyly, his steps pacing back towards Taylor. "Would you... Drop to your knees?" Rourke murmured, his amusement clear, as Taylor opened his eyes to glare at Rourke. After barely a moment, he lowered his eyes and obeyed the mans orders, only for him to laugh. "My, my... So  _obedient_  all of a sudden." Rourke laughed, enjoying his power rush, as Taylor remained kneeling on the floor, his shoulders tensely locked as he glared at the ground. "And, let's see... what if I let Lundgren back in here, now? He's taken quite a shine to you... Would you be so obedient to my subordinates, I wonder?"

Taylor balked, jerking backward in disgust at the insinuation, as Jake growled and snarled ferociously. "Just fuckin' try it, you sick bloody bastard!" The pilot roared, his face red with fury as he threw himself against the restraining troops. "Leave him alone!"

"Jake, Jake,  _Jake..."_  Rourke teased smugly, smirking over at the irate pilot. "I can understand your feelings on the matter, I'm aware of your fondness for him. But... Let's give Taylor a chance to answer for himself, shall we..?"

Taylor swallowed heavily, disgust churning in his gut as he scowled at Rourke hatefully. He bit his tongue hard enough to make it bleed, the sharp taste of copper flooding his mouth, as his gaze turned to his friends. His expression turned broken, his heart thumping loudly as he considered the hideous offer. His gaze fell to Quinn, her eyes wide with horror as she stared at him and shook her head, and he recalled her words from after being possessed.  _If there's a chance I can do something that saves you, I'll do it. No hesitation_. He thought, his gaze travelling over his friends to land on Jake, who fervently shook his head in fierce denial.

"... Yes." He bit out thickly, the single word attempting to choke him like bile in his throat. His heart broke as Jake roared in denial and thrashed against the guard restraining him.

 _"No! Godammit!"_  The pilot fumed, radiating fury as he continued to struggle, and glared at Taylor fiercely. "You tell him, Taylor! Tell him fucking  _no!"_

"I can't, Jake..." Taylor said quietly, shaking his head as hot tears welled, and spilled from his eyes. "I  _can't."_  He repeated, biting his lip as Jake fumed and thrashed in a fierce rage, as Rourke began to laugh.

"Oh my, such  _devotion!"_  The well dressed man exclaimed, chortling with glee as he looked between Jake's furious denials and Taylors heartbroken resignation. "But I must say," he added, sobering considerably as he smirked at them all in amusement. "A tad, over dramatic for my tastes."

Taylor looked over at the man sharply, his lip curling into a snarl as Rourke gazed back at him smugly. "Why would I allow a mere soldier, to toy with my most mysterious new research specimen?" He asked, prowling around Taylor curiously. "Lila," he called lightly, "the order stands. Kill them all."

"Wait,  _what?!"_  Taylor choked, struggling up from his knees and throwing himself at Rourke, only to be held back by the guards restraining hold on him.  _"No!_  You bastard! You prom-"

"I said nothing of promises, Taylor,  _you_  assumed." Rourke said smugly, chuckling as he brushed imaginary long suit. "I was merely curious how far you'd let yourself be degraded. Needless to say your lack of a spine, while hardly impressive, was certainly a high source of entertainment."

"Taylor's got more spine than you'll ever have, you... You  _cad!"_  Diego growled, glaring at Rourke with the most hateful expression Taylor had ever seen his friend wear.

"You can't  _do_  this!" Quinn demanded, her eyes wide as she stared at the man in horror.

"Mr. Rourke, I don't understand." Lila said, clearly shocked by her masters insistence. "You promised Aleister tha-"

"That  _I_  would not harm them." Rourke said airily, tugging at his jacket lapels as he came to stand between his two groups of captives. "And I won't." He said, winking slyly at them all. "I don't harm anybody, Lila. That's why I have  _you."_  He said, smirking over at her gleefully. "That's why I've  _always_  had you."

"Aleister will find out what you did." Estela sneered, scowling up at Rourke with murderous intent in her gaze.

"I'll make sure he never knows." Rourke said dismissively, stepping closer to Estela and smiling down at her casually. "Maybe my men had no choice, but to gun you down as you tried to escape..." He said, spreading his palms innocently. "Or, maybe I'll even tell him the truth. Either way, once it's done, what choice will he have but to obey me?" He said cheerfully, shrugging his shoulders and turning away, as Taylors thoughts turned back to the sad and lonely Aleister of his idols vision. The Aleister whose life he had ended, with his own hands.

"But, sir, these kids..." Lila began, frowning sadly as she looked around them all, distracting Taylor from his surge of irrational guilt. "I mean they're..." She stammered, staring at him in stunned silence. Taylor felt his heart pulse with hope, as Lila's eyes seemed to clear of their fog, as if she were seeing the real Rourke, for the first time; at last. "Is  _this_  who we are, sir?" She asked quietly, her hand raising to her chest as if pained.

"Who I am, is a man who gave you an  _order,_  Lila!" Rourke snapped, turning to glare at her in disbelief. "Are you going to follow it, or not?"

"... Yes, Mr. Rourke." Lila said, her expression clearing of all emotion as she stood rigid, robotic and automatic in her responses.

 _"No!"_  Taylor yelled, throwing himself at his guards restraining arms. "No! You  _can't_  do this! Please, Lila,  _please!_  Don't do-"

"Taylor, I really must draw the line at this harassment of my staff." Rourke said, turning towards him with an irritated glare. He paused suddenly, his expression turning thoughtful as Taylor wept and struggled, before the man broke out in a malicious grin. "I know just the thing to cool your little temper down." He said smugly, looking past Taylor to the guard holding him. "Make him watch." He said quietly, his sinister smugness radiating from his tyrannical grin. "Then, take him to containment. Oh, and Lila?" He added thoughtfully, smirking he turned away from Taylors vain thrashing. "Save Mr. McKenzie for last. Really drive the lesson home for him, hm?"

Lila stared at Rourke in disbelief, her eyes clouding with horror briefly, before she wiped her emotions clear once more. "... Yes, Mr. Rourke." She repeated, a calm and conditioned slave once more. Rourke winked at Taylor, before walking out the room, the door closing behind him.

"Oh  _hell_  no!" Michelle cried, struggling to free her arms. "I am  _not_  dying like this!"

"This is bad!" Raj gasped, as the Arachnid troops closed in around them.  _"Really bad!"_

 _"Jake!"_  Taylor cried, his legs rising from the floor almost in his determined struggle. "Guys,  _no!"_  He called desperately, his eyes widening as a thought struck him. "Attack! Guys, they can't take us all!" He said urgently, redoubling his efforts to free himself. "They... can't stop us! If we all... attack... at once!" He snarled, throwing his full weight into his struggles.

"Uh, yes, they  _can!"_  Diego yelped, staring at Taylor with wide eyes even as he prepared to do as he'd suggested.  _"They_  have the  _guns!"_

"Who cares?" Jake snarled, throwing his weight against his captors tight grip. "I ain't letting these bastards take what's mine, and I goin' down without a fight!"

"Just leave the snake to me." Estela growled, glaring up at Lila with a menacing grin, as she struggled against the guard restraining her.

Taylor watched his friends with his heart in his throat, his stomach twisting with nausea as they failed to wrench themselves free.  _"Jake..!"_  He cried brokenly, his gaze locking with his pilots as he slumped against the arms restraining him, exhausted from his excursions. "... Jake..." He called, as the pilot growled and redoubled his own efforts. _This isn't how this is supposed to be! I'm supposed to be able to save them! This cant be happening_! He thought desperately, a tortured sob escaping him as a second guard restrained Jake, raising their weapon threateningly, when Lila held up a hand to stop them. "Lila,  _please-"_  Taylor pleaded, his heart hammering as he stared in terror at his heavily restrained guard.

"You heard Mr. Rourke " Lila said firmly, scowling at the guards furiously. "I'll do it myself. Put them on their knees." She ordered, as she drew a pistol from the back of her waistband.

 _"No!"_  Taylor cried, his struggles resuming as the troops dragged Estela out from the group first, having to use all their strength to force her down to her knees. "No, you  _can't!_  No!  _Please!"_

"Stop it!" Quinn cried, lurching against the guard in front of her and tried to reach Estela. "Leave her alone!" She demanded, only for the guard to drag her forward and force her down beside Estela.

 _"No!"_  Taylor yelled, his heart sputtering with fear as he threw himself forward in vain.  _"Please!"_  He cried desperately, fighting manically against his captor, but still unable to break free from the tight grip.

Lila walked forward slowly, and put the muzzle of her gun against Estela's forehead, looking down at the girl almost vacantly.

Estela seethed with rage, glowering up at Lila, her fear burnt away by her hatred. "Go ahead.  _Do it!"_  She whispered furiously, her hard gaze never faltering. "Do it, like you did my mother!"

Lila blinked, but gave no further response, her emotions locked away behind a thick shield; one she'd drawn around her heart, to be able to hide from the horrors she'd committed. She thumbed off the safety, and Taylor was certain he saw her swallow with hesitation.

"You think I don't know who you are, Lila?" Estela growled, straining briefly against the hands forcing her to remain on her knees.  _"What_  you are?" She sneered, her eyes running over Lila knowingly, as she shook her head. "You talk like you've got  _beliefs..._  Like you want to make a better world... But that's all talk. Because in the end, you're  _nothing._  Nothing; but a  _killer."_

Taylor watched Lila's eyes widen almost imperceptibly, her breath hitching faintly as she hesitated. "Please...  _Please..."_  He whispered frantically, as one of the Arachnid mercs stepped up.

 **"Enough messin' around**!" The guard barked, his weapon rising threateningly. " **If you aren't gonna start shooting** -" He began, as Lila raised her gun and fired three shots in quick succession, shooting out three Arachnid troops in the head.

" **What the** -" Cried the soldier holding Taylor, while Lila spun and fired with cold, calculated precision; as the other guards aimed their weapons. Taylor felt the hold on him loosen, gasping as a hand instead pulled sharply at his hair; and a gun muzzle pressed to the underside of his chin, jerking his head up to an unnatural angle. " **Stand down**!" The soldier barked, as Lila aimed her gun at him coldly. They stared at each other, as the room froze around them, assessing each other carefully.

Taylor met Jake's wide and frantic eyes, and silently pleaded the pilot remain where he was, terrified the pilot would be injured in any attempt to save him. He glanced at Lila , the assassins gaze narrowing as her finger squeezed her trigger. Taylor felt time slow, his eyes locked onto the bullet, slowly sailing through the air towards the guard restraining him; before moving to Jake, the pilots expression locked into a furious, but terrified scream of denial. He closed his eyes and winced, as the hand in his hair tugged slightly, then released its hold; and he dropped to roll away suddenly, just before time snapped back into place.

 _"No!"_  Taylor gasped, as the soldier let off a wild spray of bullets as he went down. "Diego, look out!" He cried, seeing his friend in the path of the guards falling weapon. Without thinking, he dove for Diego, pulling him to the floor and shielding him with his body.

 _"Taylor!"_  He heard Jake roar, flinching as bullets ricocheted harmlessly off his armour with small metallic clinks and pings. Barely a second after the gun silenced, he was jerked roughly to his feet. His heart stuttered in his chest, as he found himself face to face with a frantic pilot, who glared at him fiercely .  _"You,_  are the  _stupidest_  bloody idiot I  _ever_  met!" Jake roared furiously, his hands and eyes running over Taylor frantically, as Taylor hiccupped a hysterical giggle and did the same. "I don't know whether to kiss you or  _kick your goddamn ass,_  Taylor!" He spat, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Kiss," Taylor muttered desperately, burying his hand in Jake's hair, as Jake cupped his cheek and pulled him closer.  _"Definitely kiss!"_  He whispered urgently, arching against Jake as the pilots mouth crashed against his own. He clutched at his pilot in desperation, as he tried to convey his intense emotions with his kiss, his tongue colliding urgently with Jake's, while rivers of relieved tears coursed down his cheeks.  _"Jake..!"_  He murmured, as the pilot drew back to rest his forehead against Taylors, studying his eyes intently. "My  _god..._  I thought-"

"Yeah." Jake said shortly, swallowing thickly as he gave a brief nod. "Me too, Boy Scout..." He said, drawing back fully to scowl down at him. "Don't you  _ever,_  even  _consider_  making a shitty ass deal like that again!" He demanded, squeezing Taylors shoulder firmly.

"Okay." He said quickly, pulling the pilot closer and closed his eyes, as he pressed his lips firmly to the side of Jake's throat. The pilot said nothing, but squeezed him tightly against him, pretending he believed the comforting lie. They parted as Diego finally clambered up from the floor, reaching for him and blindly pulling him into an emption fraught hug.

"Dude, you just totally saved my life!" Diego gasped, staring at him with wide eyes. "You're..." He choked, his eyes flitting to the guard who'd been restraining him briefly. He took a deep breath, swallowing heavily before looking back at Taylor with a small grin. "You're like John McClane!"

"The senator?!" Craig gasped, his jaw dropping as he strolled over, clapping Taylor on the shoulder warmly.

"Are you okay, Taylor?" Quinn cried, rushing over and throwing her arms around him tightly. "That was so brave!"

"Hey, don't be givin' him ideas!" Jake growled, scowling at Taylor, though there was affection buried beneath the fury in his gaze. "He's a  _bloody_  idiot."

"I'm  _fine."_  Taylor sighed, rolling his eyes as he reassured his friends to the best of his abilities. "The armour held." He said gently, patting the strange armour fondly. He looked over at Lila, who stood above the fallen soldiers, double tapping them each in the head with cold precision.

" **No... Please**..." A soldier pleaded, as Lila turned her gun towards them. She ignored them, two sharp blast resounding around them, as she puts two bullets into their head.

"Okay..." She said cheerfully, her entire attitude changing to her usual bright and perky nature. "All done." She said, smiling brightly as she twirled her gun briefly and turned towards them all.

"Lila... You..." Taylor stammered, momentarily lost for words, until a slow smile spread across his face. "Never doubted you for a  _second."_  He said cockily, offering her a grateful fist bump.

 _"Really?_  'Cause I-" Jake began, only to fall silent when Taylor stepped on his foot purposefully, winking at him and shaking his head fondly.

"You  _saved_  us." Michelle gasped, staring at Lila in shock, before turning away as Sean stepped up to her and pulled her into a tight hug.

"You saved  _me?"_  Estela choked, shaking her head in disbelief as she slowly pushed to her feet, staring at the assassin warily.

Lila smiled at them all fondly, her affection clear in her dark eyes. "What kind of tour guide would I be if I didnt?" She asked with a giggle, before sobering slightly and looking at Estela regretfully. "You were right, Estela. I  _am_  nothing but a killer..." She said, swallowing as she sniffed back tears of realisation. "But... at least I can kill the  _right_  people for once." She said, trying to smile again, only for the gesture to falter.

Suddenly, she collapsed backwards, slumping against the wall, as her gun clattered to the floor.  _"Lila!"_  Diego cried, rushing to her side the same as Taylor, and trying to help her up; only for his hands to come away soaked in blood.

"She's been shot!" Michelle cried, hurrying forward to examine the assassin. After only a moment she drew back again, shaking her head seriously. "It's bad." She said, squeezing Lila's hand, and receiving a fond smile in return, before stepping away.

Estela shouldered Diego aside, snatching up Lila's gun and aiming it down at Lila's head. "This changes nothing.  _Nothing!"_  She screamed, her eyes blazing with hatred as she glowered down at the dying assassin. "You  _killed_  my mom! She was your  _friend,_  and you killed her!" She cried, trembling and hyperventilating as her face flushed with anger.

Lila looked up at her weakly, already growing pale. "I... believed in Rourke." She gasped, shaking her head softly. "I thought... he'd fix everything..." She said, swallowing back her tears, as she stared up at the ceiling. "But he  _lied_  to me." She choked brokenly, as Taylors heart swelled with sympathy and affection for the perky girl. He knelt beside her, taking her hand in his own and squeezing gently, as she slowly rocked her head back and forth along wall. "I killed my  _best friend_. Killed...  _so_  many people." She said, her breath coming out in a series of ragged sobs. She lowered her gaze to Estela, her eyes oddly vibrant as her life faded away, an encouraging smile curving her lips. "Do it, Estela." She said warmly, taking a shuddering, deep breath. "Take your revenge... I  _deserve_  it."

"Yes!" Estela roared, as the rest of them watched on silence. Her eyes welling with tears of rage, hatred and agony, as she glared down at Lila. "You  _do!"_

"Go on. It's your last chance..." Lila encouraged, as Estela's finger quivered against the trigger.

 _"No!"_  Taylor cried desperately, peering up at his friend pleadingly. "Estela... Don't let this be all you are." He begged, of the furious girl, still aiming at the traitorous murdered beside him.

"I've dreamt of this moment for six years, Taylor." Estela snarled, her arm trembling as she resisted simply knocking him aside, the previous consequences of her actions still fresh in her mind. " _Six. Years_."

"You're  _so_  much more than this..." Taylor said, glancing down to where Lila was staring over at him in confusion briefly, before looking up at Estela once more. "Your mom, wanted you to be more than this. If you're out for revenge, remember to-"

"To dig two graves?" Estela snarled, glowering at him in a haze of rage and pain, as she thumbed back the hammer. "I'm gonna need a  _lot_  more than two." She spat, as she pulled the trigger.

 _"No!"_  Taylor cried, his eyes slamming closed as Lila's head whipped back, then hung limp. He felt a wet splash across his cheek, and he scrambled backwards blindly, before bumping into a firm body, which immediately enclosed him in the warmth of a tight embrace. The gunshot echoed, and then the room fell silent, save for Taylors ragged and frantic breathing.

"Oh my god, Taylor..!" Quinn gasped, rushing towards him as he curled deeper into Jake's hold, shaking his head in vehement denial.

"Holy shit, Katniss, you couldn't wait five fuckin' seconds for him to move?!" The pilot fumed, as Quinn stepped back, realising the comfort she could give was inadequate for his level of distress.

Estela stared at Lila for a moment longer, before finally letting her hand fall to her side. "... I did it, Mom." She said quietly, turning away from Lila's body, still shaking. Everyone took a large step back from her, Jake growling at her in frustration one last time, before carefully trying to extract Taylor from his jacket.

"Hey, c'mon, Boy Scout... I got ya." He murmured, his expression soft as he peered down at Taylor worriedly. "It's okay, it... It was a kindness, really-"

 _"Don't."_  Taylor hiccupped harshly, shaking his head as he shivered and frantically scraped at the blood he knew was on his cheek. "Don't try and sell me that horse-shit, when you don't even believe it yourself." He choked, as Jake gently brushed his hands from his face, cleaning his cheek with his jacket sleeve instead.

"... You know me too well." Jake huffed, squeezing Taylors shoulder, as he finally opened his eyes and gazed up a this pilot brokenly. "Not so long ago, that would've scared the crap outta me..." He admitted quietly, his eyes tracing over Taylors face in fond affection. "... Not anymore..."

"Please don't say stuff like that right now..." Taylor groaned, taking a deep breath as he shook his head. "I'll associate you being affectionate with trauma, and then we'll never get to have sex again." He said, trying to inject some humour into the words, but falling flat in his grief.

"Heh," Jake huffed, helping Taylor to his feet.  _"Gotha._  No affection." He said, winking at Taylor conspiratorially and eliciting a small, reluctant chuckle from him. Jake's gaze turned serious, his concern palpable in the air around them. "You oka-"

"Not  _even_  a little." Taylor said quickly, wrapping his arms around Jake's neck and burying his nose in the pilots jacket. "But... I  _will_  be." He sighed, as he inhaled the familiar, calming scent of whiskey.

He looked over to Estela, as Quinn tentatively reached out to gently touch her arm."That must've been hard, Estela... But, it's over now." She said, frowning as the dark haired girl continued to scowl.

"Over?" Estela sneered, as she wiped some blood spatter from her own face, and glanced at Quinn briefly. "I'm just getting  _started."_  She promised darkly, causing a pained silence to fall over the group.

"... Come on." Zahra said finally, her shoulders shifting awkwardly, as she gestured towards the doors. "We can still get to the gondola another way. Follow me." She said, leading them to collect their things from the corner.

As the group followed Zahra out, Taylor found his eyes drawn back to Lila. His heart clenched painfully, as he imagined her body growing cold. He hesitated, before moving to her side and kneeling beside her. "I'm  _so_  sorry, Lila..." He murmured softly, reaching over with trembling fingers to gently close her unseeing eyes.

"Why?" Estela asked, standing over him with a confused grimace. "Why would you feel sorry for some  _filthy murderer?!"_  She demanded, scowling at his tenderness towards the woman who had ended her mothers life. "Why would you care-"

"Because she was  _my friend_  first!" Taylor growled, pushing to his feet and levelling the dark haired girl with a glare. "She made mistakes in life, people  _do_  that! It's called being human!"

"She was a  _murderer!"_  Estela snarled, stepping toward him menacingly, her face a furious scowl of disbelief. "I'd say that was a little more than a fucking mistake, Taylor! She took my mothers life!"

"And  _saved_  yours!" Taylor snapped back, causing Estela to flinch away briefly. "You wanna know what she believed in? The  _reason_  she did, what she did?" Taylor demanded, gesturing down at Lila sadly. "She came here looking for something to live for, a reason to keep fighting after the shitty hand she'd been dealt in life... She believed in the world Rourke said he was trying to create. A world, where your mother, Aleister's mother,  _her entire family_ , would still be  _alive!"_  He said, scrubbing at his eyes furiously as they prickled. "You tell me, you wouldn't have killed a few people, to get  _your_  mother back." Taylor demanded, only for Estela to look away in angry guilt. Taylor snorted at her, glancing down at Lila one last time, before moving away after the others, and after a brief pause, Estela followed after him.

They moved quietly through the complex, checking around corners for guards. They were just passing through another sinister looking laboratory, when Raj tripped on a nest of wires.  _"Oof!"_  The large boy huffed, as he flopped face first, on the floor. His bag popped open, sending out cooking utensils, packs of meat and vegetables, and finally; a small, steel device.

Taylor frowned, feeling a strange itch in his gut, as he crouched down and picked it up, turning it over in his hands curiously. "Raj?" He asked, his eyes flitting over to the large boy, as he pushed himself to his feet and rubbed at his chin. "What  _is_  this?" He asked, waving the small device in clarification, rubbing his forehead gently, as a small wave of dizziness rushed at him.

"Dude," Craig said, frowning as he looked over curiously. "Looks like some kinda  _phone..."_  He said, shrugging dismissively."

"Right?" Raj asked excitedly, walking over slowly, as he collected the spilled items and repacked then into his bag. "I found it down in that Theoretical Prismatics lab. Thought it looked pretty dope."

"Doesn't look like any phone  _I've_  ever seen..." Quinn said, eyeing the device distrustfully. "Are we sure we really wanna be touching anything from that place though..?"

Estela walked up beside Taylor and tapped a button. A compartment in the device flipped open, and revealed a small vial of fluid. Instantly, Taylor felt his gut begin to churn roughly, and he hurriedly tossed the device over to Jake, brushing his hands against his armour, as he took a large step backwards. "This looks like the same fluid that Rourke was creating from the island's crystals..." She said, glancing at Taylor uncertainly, as he turned away and took a deep breath to steady his small waves of nausea.

"Must be a prototype transponder that can send messages through space-time." Zahra said thoughtfully, taking the device from Jake so the pilot was able to check on Taylor.

"So, what you're saying is... it's a  _time phone_?" Taylor asked, smiling at Jake reassuringly, as he returned to the group, but maintained a safe distance between himself and the strange fluid in the device.

"Ha!" Raj cheered, beaming a wide grin around the group, as he held out his hand for a high five. "I  _knew_  it looked important!"

"Please, Raj..." Michelle snorted, her hands on her hips as she smirked at the large boy fondly. "You knew it looked  _shiny."_  She huffed, as Raj grinned guiltily.

"Not a phone." Estela said suddenly, gesturing to the devices lack of an earpiece. "It's only one way."

"Do you think we can use it to send messages back home?" Quinn asked eagerly, her eyes lighting with hope, as her small hand slid into Taylors.

"Like, maybe warn ourselves not to come on this trip?" Michelle fumed, as Taylor smiled and drew Quinn into his side and pressed his cheek to the top of her head. "Or, warn the government about what was going on here?!" The blonde continued hotly, running a hand over her hair lightly.

"More like warn Rourke's parents not to have sex!" Craig snorted, scowling at the device as if it were to blame for Rourke's existence.

"Great idea." Zahra snarked sarcastically, snorting as she shook her head. "Create a massive temporal paradox. That will  _definitely_  end well." She scoffed, rolling her eyes at the jock affectionately.

"Well," Jake said hesitantly, eyeing the device thoughtfully. "If we can't use it to send a warning back..." He hedged, glancing at Taylor as he swallowed thickly.

Taylor felt his heart swell with a rush of emotion for the pilot, understanding his thought process. He shuffled closer with Quinn still clasped to his side, and slid his free hand into Jake's, squeezing supportively, as Diego took another meaning from the pilots hesitant words.

"It's totally useless then, huh?" He asked, his face falling as he anticipated a negative response.

"There is  _one_  thing we could use it for..." Sean said, meeting Jake's troubled gaze knowingly. He drew in a deep breath, and exhaled a trembling sigh. "We could use it... to say  _goodbye."_

"You mean," Quinn asked, raising her head from Taylors shoulder to look over st the athlete uncertainly. "To our loved ones?" She pressed, as Taylor squeezed her hand in reassurance.

"We could send it to right after we left." Sean offered quickly, looking over at Zahra imploringly. " _No paradox_." He promised, as the hacker hummed thoughtfully. "I dunno about you guys, but I... never really said goodbye." The athlete said quietly, his expression crumpling with grief. Taylor felt an odd detachment in his heart, feeling nothing, as he watched his friends all hang their heads thoughtfully. "We didn't  _know..._  it'd be the last time we saw them." Sean concluded, his hand balling into a fist at his side.

"There are  _so_  many things, I wish I'd said." Quinn admitted longingly, her wistful gaze turning to the ceiling, her eyes filling with tears.

"Huh." Craig huffed, his huge shoulders seeming to sag heavily beneath some giant weight.  _"Yeah."_

Taylor looked around his heartbroken friends, to the device in Zahra's hands, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Let's say goodbye." He said softly, squeezing Jake's hand when the pilot let out a sudden gush of air, his other hand raising to his hair nervously. "If we aren't able to fix this... If we aren't able to stop the eruption..." He said, swallowing thickly at the sudden and overwhelming wave of guilt and shame which consumed him. "Then this might be, the last chance you have, to say the things... You always  _wished_  to say." He choked, as Zahra nodded, and typed into the keypad.

"Okay, date selected." Zahra said, offering the device out and wiggling it on the air. "It's ready. So, who's up first?" She asked, as everyone hesitated awkwardly, until Diego took a deep breath; and stepped up to take it.

Diego swallowed thickly, biting his lip as he stared down at the device for a moment, before speaking into it at last. "Mom... Dad... it's Diego." He said slowly, his voice catching as he grimaced in shame. Taylor felt his heart twist sharply, as Quinn stepped out of his hold, sensing his desire to comfort the olive skinned boy. "I know it's been a long time since we've talked. And I know... you aren't happy to hear from me, either." He said, swallowing heavily, as Taylor released Jake's hand and moved over to his friend, ignoring the faint hum of nausea he felt, as he rested his hand on Diego's shoulder.

"For the  _longest_  time, I wanted you to accept me. To feel like I belonged, in my own home... And I  _hated_  you, because I  _never_  got that." Diego admitted quietly, raising his eyes to meet Taylors warn and supportive gaze. "But now, I  _finally_  feel accepted. I  _belong."_  He said, his voice thick with emotions as his eyes flashed with tears, his free hand rising to Taylors and squeezing it gratefully. "And most of all? I... I..." He paused, taking a deep breath as he closed his eyes and willed himself to find the words. When he opened them again, Taylor smiled and winked proudly at the determination in them. "... I  _forgive_  you." He said, hurriedly handing off the device, as he blinked back tears.

"Proud of you, assbutt." Taylor said quietly, ruffling Diego's long hair affectionately. "Even if the best insult you can think of is to call someone a cad." He added teasingly.

"Shut up," Diego sniffed, as he grinned at him softly.  _"Assbutt."_  He added fondly, lightly jabbing Taylor in the arm, was Varyyn approached. Taylor stepped back, as the Vaanti drew Diego into a comforting embrace, smiling as his friend curled into the touch with a soft sigh.

Taylor turned, to find Raj tearing up, as he tried to make himself sound cheerful. "Hey, Grandma! It's me, Raj!" He chuckled dryly, though the grief in his tone was undeniable. "I've been making all your best recipes for my friends, and they really love them all!" He said, smiling as he scuffed the floor with his shoe awkwardly. "I just wanna say... every time I make them, I'll be thinking of you. I'm  _never,_  gonna forget you." He promised, his arm scrubbing over his eyes, as he held the device out blindly.

Sean tentatively reached out, carefully taking the device from the large boy. "Hey, mom." The athlete said slowly, and Taylor could see the heavy weight of sorrow, in the stiff set of his shoulders. "Listen, some bad stuff's gonna happen soon... And, I'm not gonna be there with you for it." Sean said, his voice thick with tears, as he forced the words past his grief stricken throat. "I  _wish_  I could be..." Sean said yearningly, his eyes fogging with guilt. "But, I need you to know  _one_  thing, and  _never_  forget it." He said, sniffing as he fought off the tide of emotion he felt. "Ain't nothing in this world, or the next, that's gonna stop me from taking care of you." He said in a fierce whisper, gritting his teeth briefly to bite back his grief.  _"Nothing."_  He repeated firmly, his eyes burning with sudden determination. "So, just hold on, okay? Your boy's comin' home." He promised, passing the device to Estela, as he gratefully grasped the reassuring hand Michelle laid on his arm.

"Tio Nicholas... This is Estela..." She began hesitantly, as Taylor looked away and swallowed heavily, already knowing what she would say. "I did it. I found my mom's killer... And, I killed her." She said, pausing as she searched herself for what to say. "I thought... it would make me feel better. But, all I feel right now... is  _hollow."_  She admitted, her voice small and uncertain. Taylor looked up at her, and upon noticing the confusion and regret in her eyes, he sighed, and moved closer to wrap his arm around her shoulders. "I know, you never wanted me to go on this mission... but, you helped me anyway." She said, drawing back from Taylors embrace to meet his gaze determinedly, as she bit her lip briefly, before continuing. "So I just wanted to say... you were right... and, I'm sorry." She said, her voice breaking as she turned away from Taylor, her apology complete. Taylor patted her shoulder in understanding, as the dark haired girl offered the device to Michelle, who shook her head uncomfortably.

"Are you sure, Michelle?" Taylor asked, stepping around Estela, as he frowned at the blonde. "There's no one you want to say something to?"

"At this point?" Michelle asked with a small snort, wrapping her arms around herself as if she were cold.  _"No."_  She said, closing her eyes and swallowing thickly. "Everyone who ever cared about me... I pushed away. After my dad died... I never wanted to need anyone. I never wanted anyone to hold me  _back,_  or hold me  _down..."_  She said, sniffing as she opened her watery eyes and looked up at Taylor in resigned acceptance. "And now? I have exactly what I wanted. I have  _no one_  to hold me at all."

"Oh, Michelle..." Taylor said, resting his hand on her shoulder and squeezing gently. "That's just not true." He said softly, opening his arms and pulling her against him. She leaned her head into his shoulder, and sobbed quietly. Taylor murmured to her consolingly, running his hand across her back gently.

After a moment, she pulled away and dried her eyes, offering him a weak smile. "Thank you, Taylor." She said gratefully, as Sean stepped up to her other side, his eyes concerned as she turned towards him, and allowed him to console her with his own hug. Taylor turned away to give them a moment of privacy, and saw Estela pass the device to Quinn instead.

The redhead puffed out her cheeks as she considered, before slowly raising the device and beginning to talk slowly. "Hi, mom. Hi, dad... It's your daughter." She said, breaking out in a small smile as her eyes softened, seeming locked onto something only she could see. "This might be the last time you ever hear from me, so, I want to ask you to do something." She said thoughtfully, her smile growing as her eyes welled with tears. "I want you to  _forgive each other."_  She said with a wistful sigh, a soft giggle escaping her as she continued. "I remember you loved each other very much once... I was very young, but I remember." She said warmly, her smile faltering slightly, as guilt crept into her eyes. "If I have  _one_  regret about all of this, it's that my illness broke that love." She choked, as Taylor stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, dropping his head to her shoulder as she grabbed his hands gratefully. "It's one thing, to go through life being sick... But having been the cause of so much pain and heartbreak... It's made me wish I was never born." She admitted with a small sob, as Taylor squeezed her gently, frowning at her confession. "So,  _please..._  Forgive each other while you can. It's not too late..." She whispered, passing the device to Craig, before turning and quickly burying her face in Taylors shoulder.

"I'm  _glad_  you were born." Taylor said quietly, swaying them gently as he held Quinn, allowing her to shed her grief before pulling away to smile at him.

"You know, I always wondered what it'd be like, having siblings... But, after all the trouble my parents had with me... I think they were too scared." Quinn said, shrugging her shoulder dismissively. "Well, anyway. I'd like to think it would've been like this." She said, leaning up to press a brief kiss to his cheek.

"Heh, that's me." Taylor said, grinning down at her goofily. "Adoptive brother and personal comforter; now available in travel size." He sniggered, as she swatted his arm playfully.

"Well, you're certainly annoying enough for a sibling at least." She giggled, as he gasped in mock offense.

"I am hurt by that truly outrageous comment." He said, pouting at her, before ruffling her hair quickly.  _"There,_  that should make us even." He snorted, as she sighed and scowled at him.

"Yes, of course." She said, rolling her eyes as she began to run her fingers through her hair. "Not annoying at all." She giggled, as he slung his arm around her shoulders and squeezed, turning towards Craig, as the jock finally decided what he wished to say.

"Hey-hey, Joey, little man!" He said, attempting a cheerful tone, but failing under the weight of his obvious distress. "Ha, you're already six years old, and I got a feeling you're gonna be even bigger and stronger than me!" He chuckled proudly, his eyes shining with affection. "I know you always-" his voice cracked for a moment, and he coughed, playing it off. Taylor felt his heart swell, as Craig took a deep breath and forced a smile to his lips, before trying again. "I know, you always looked up to me... You wanted to grow up to be just like your big bro." He said haltingly, shaking his head slowly as he looked to the ceiling wistfully. "But you'd have grown up to be  _so_  much better than me...  _So much better._ " He said with a sniff, lowering his gaze as he took a deep breath to steady himself. "So... I'm gonna make sure you get the chance to grow up." He said, swallowing hard, before thrusting the device into Taylors hand.

"Oh, uh..." Taylor stared down at the contraption in his hand, biting his lip as his gut swirled with nausea. He drew his arm free of Quinn and glanced around, before holding the device out for someone else. "You know... I don't need to call anybody." He said dismissively, as his friends all turned to him in concern. He smiled, a rush of warmth in his heart, overriding the numbness of his lacking memory. "Everyone I love is here with me right now." The others smiled back, Craig, Sean and Raj patting him on the back, while Quinn, Diego and Michelle enveloped him in brief hugs.

"Alright, give it here." Jake said gruffly, taking Taylors hand and squeezing affectionately as their eyes met, before shaking his head nervously. "Let's get this over with." He said, taking the device from Taylors hand and taking a small step back, thinking hard before he began talking. "Uh... Hey, Rebecca. This is, uh... It's Jake.  _Surprise!"_  He huffed guiltily, his dry chuckle devoid of any true amusement. "I'm still alive... For now." He swallowed heavily, his eyes flitting up to Taylors, as he slid his hands around Jake's and raised it between them to his lips. Jake threw him a grateful wink, before sighing, wincing in guilt. "I reckon, you're  _furious_  to hear I've been alive all this time and never called. I could tell you I had reasons..." Jake said, exhaling deeply as he soon his head. "Good ones; like, that I was afraid they'd hurt you if I tried to reach out, but..." He swallowed heavily, his lip trembling briefly before he snorted softly. "But it's all bull. If I ain't honest with myself now, I never will be..." He said, closing his eyes and grimacing as his emotions overwhelmed him briefly, as Taylor squeezed and kissed his hand in support.

"I was afraid you'd be ashamed of me." Jake admitted, his voice rough with shame as he coughed a tint chuckle. "And you should be.  _I'm_  ashamed of me..." He said thickly, looking to the ceiling and shaking his head. "But, I just wanted you to know... That I was  _always_  proud of you, sis." He said, exhaling heavily as he lowered his eyes and swallowed hard, a small curve to his lips forming.  _"You're_  the hero, I'll  _never_  be." He said warmly, before passing the device to Zahra. As soon as his hands were free, Taylor pulled him into a fierce embrace, his arms around Jake's neck as he pulled him close.

"I'm  _proud_  of you." He whispered, his lips brushing against the shell of Jake's ear. "You're  _my_  hero." He said, pressing a kiss to the pilots stubbled cheek, as Jake gripped him tighter. They separated slightly, eyes meeting in a tender gaze, their fingers lacing together naturally as they turned as one towards Zahra. She thought for a brief second, before adjusting the date and time.

"Whoa, d-don't do that!" Raj warned, his eyes wide as he took a large step backwards, as if worried the device might suddenly explode.

"Relax." Zahra said, tapping at the controls emotionlessly. "I'm not gonna cause a paradox."

Taylor frowned thoughtfully, curious as he tipped his chin towards the device. "Who are you sending a message to?" He asked, raising a brow when Zahra flashed him a brief smirk.

"The person I love most in the world." Zahra replied, winking as she lifted the device to her head. "Hey, Zahra. It's  _you._  From the future. Cool, right?" She said smugly, as Taylor snorted, smiling at her fondly as he rolled his eyes. "Can't say much, but... I know you're thinking about not going on that La Huerta trip." She said, and Taylors smile faded as she paused briefly, biting her lip as she sniffed and forced a cocky grin to her face. "You should go. Not only does Hartfeld  _seriously_  suck this summer, but..." She said with a twisted huff of amusement, glancing over at Craig and meeting his eyes for a split second, before looking away and lowering her voice slightly. "You'll also, uh... meet a great guy."

Zahra's cheeks suffused with a dark tinge of red, as Craig cocked a crooked grin, and she quickly scowled down at the device in her hand. "I know, after that last line, you think this is a prank using voice modulation software. So to prove I'm really you..." She said, her lips twisting into an embarrassed grimace, as her cheeks stained a deeper shade of red. "I know you had a crush on Javi Herrera in second grade, and that's why you always beat him up." She said quickly, before turning off the device. Taylor sighed, relieved when the waves of nausea in his stomach eased. His friends looked around at each other, their emotions running high after revealing so much in front of each other. Without another word, they all turned, and silently continued on their way through the halls.

Taylor sighed, when at last they broke free of the claustrophobic complex, stepping outside to find the gondola waiting on its landing pad. The group did a collection sweep, looking for guards, but found themselves to be alone. "Looks like we're clear, for the moment at least." Taylor said, laughing as Diego cheered in relief.

"We made it!" He cried, high fiving with Raj, before grabbing Varyyn by the hand excitedly. "Go,  _go!_  Come on!" He said, beaming a huge grin at the Elyyshar.

Varyyn smiled softly, nodding gently to Diego. "Okay." He said quietly, his smile growing as Diego tugged on his hand and ran of ahead of everyone.

"Ha ha!" Raj laughed, spreading his arms wide and beaming up at the sky. "Wait up!" He said, as he raced after the pair.

"I call a seat!" Michelle cried, dashing into the gondola after them and flopping into a seat. "My feet are  _killing_  me!" She sighed, pouting as she lifted a delicate foot to her lap and began to massage it gently.

"Best not to keep 'em waiting." Taylor sniggered, tipping his head towards the gondola, as he tugged at Jake's hand lightly. As they walked after their friends, a shadow flashed over Taylors vision, and his stomach dropped suddenly. "What the-" he gasped, as a figure dropped from the sky, landing softly on jetpack thrusters between Taylors group and the gondola.

 **"Halt."**  Mouse said, their emotionless voice sending an icy lance of pain through Taylors heart, as he recalled the red armoured soldier; ending Jake's life.

 _"Dammit!"_  Sean growled, scowling as he raised his fists, fully prepared to fight.

"Ha! Just the  _one_  of you?" Jake sneered, as Taylor shivered, shaking his head as he squeezed Jake's hand to reassure himself of reality; his mind twisting between the present, and the haunting vision from Jake's idol. "Buddy, I hate to break it to you, but you're a  _little_  outnumbered."

"He's not trying to  _beat_  us, Jake." Estela growled, gesturing towards the waiting gondola. "He's trying to  _stall_  us!"

Taylor swallowed thickly, forcing his mind back to the present with a snap, as he noticed Diego look back from the far side of the gondola to see them cornered.  _"Taylor!"_

"Diego..." He murmured fearfully, his heart racing in his chest as he imagined his friends being recaptured, certain they would not escape again. His expression hardened into a scowl, as he slashed his arm through the air quickly, as if to push them away. "Just  _go!"_  He ordered sharply, as Diego's eyes widened in shock.

"No way!" His friend cried, shaking hos head desperately as hw stubbornly remained still, refusing to release the brakes.

"He's trying to stall us!" Taylor yelled, scowling in irritation at his friends stubbornness. "You have to go!  _Now!"_  He pleaded, though his expression remained hard, as he turned his eyes to Mouse.

"We'll catch up!" Sean assured, his eyes narrowed as he assessed the threat before them.

"Taylors right." Michelle said reluctantly, hopping to her feet and rushing to restrain Diego, as he made to leave the gondola. "Come on!"

"Varyyn, do it!" Taylor ordered, his heart in his throat as Diego struggled against Michelle. Varyyn nodded solemnly, and touched a glass panel. The glass doors slid shut, and Taylor sighed in relief, as the gondola started rolling along the cable toward the main island; with Diego, Varyyn, Raj and Michelle inside.

 _"No!"_  Diego cried, freeing himself from Michelle and running to the door, pounding on the glass desperately.  _"Taylor!"_  He called, frantically searching for a way off, but there was no way for him to stop the gondola.

 **"Hm."**  Mouse hummed, noticing the gondola, and turning their attention towards it.

"I don't  _think_  so!" Taylor snarled, lunging at the soldier and tackling him to the ground.

 **"Urk..."**  Mouse choked, momentarily stunned, but quickly regaining their equilibrium. They threw Taylor off easily, sending him rolling dangerously close to the cliff edge.

 _"Whoa!"_  Taylor gasped, clinging to the rough edge of rock desperately. He scrambled backwards, away from the huge drop, turning to see his pilot level a furious glare at Mouse.

"Oh,  _hell_  no!" He snarled, as the rest of Taylors friends closed in on Mouse. Craig threw a haymaker, which the soldier deftly evaded, quickly dodging out of the way.

" **Threat assessment complete**." The soldier intoned emotionlessly, as Sean and Estela attacked together. Mouse jet-packed up over them, landing right in front of Quinn.

 _"Quinn!"_  Taylor called urgently, tripping as he rushed to his feet and moved towards her. "Watch out-" he tried to warn her, but his cry was too late. Mouse grabbed her, and threw her hard into the wall of the complex. She crumpled to the snow dusted ground, and lay still, a cut visible on her forehead.  _"No!"_  He gasped, raising his hateful glare at the red soldier.

"Get this bastard!" Estela growled as they grouped together, and threw everything they had at Mouse. Craig and Sean tried to overpower the soldier, while Estela and Zahra tried to out maneuver them. Jake threw his all into a furious barrage of attacks, swinging for all he was worth, while Taylor did the same from the opposite side; but all, to no avail. Mouse dodged everything, jetting and flipping, dodging and juking. He finally slipped it past all of them, to the housing of the pulley system for the gondola.

 _"No!"_  Taylor cried desperately, his eyes widening as Mouse fired his jetpack thrusters at the steel, melting it fast. The cables began to go slack, as Taylors heart hammered fearfully, and stared at the slowly moving gondola in horror, his thoughts tangling with Varyyn's in their combined fears. He was trapped, a silent prisoner, unable to speak through their highly stressed emotions.

"We've gotta stop them!" Sean growled furiously, as halfway across the gap, the gondola shook and dipped.

"Not good!  _Not good_!" Raj cried from within, his hands running through his hair as he looked back at the  **MASADA**  Complex in horror.

"Why did I get on this death trap with you people?!" Michelle screamed, covering her ears with her hands, as the cables groaned.

"We're still moving!" Diego said, trying to reassure them. "We can make it!" He cried, willing them to believe him.

Taylor shook his head on the cliff top, gasping as he returned to himself and glanced around at his friends desperately. "They're in trouble!" He cried, turning towards Jake urgently, only for Mouse to catch him while he was distracted. The soldier punched him across the jaw, sending him sprawling.  _"Kff!"_  Taylor coughed, groaning as he pushed to his knees and watched his friends launch a fresh attack at the red soldier, but he still proved too elusive.

 **"Hrah!"**  The soldier grunted, the strangely hollow and emotionless voice making the fight seem strangely detached.  **"Hrah!"**  They choked again, as Jake missed a left hook, and met Mouse's boot with his stomach.

 _"Kff!"_  Jake growled, rolling across the floor, only to spring back to his feet and launch himself back at Mouse determinedly. Taylor choked, about to call out to his pilot, when his mind was pulled back towards Varyyn's. As the pulley continued to collapse, the gondola struggled to keep moving.

"We're almost there!" Diego cried, his eyes lighting with hope a she watched the gondola draw slowly closer to the other side of the chasm. "We just gotta-" he broke off with a gasp, as the pulley snapped free from the  **MASADA**  side, and tumbled into the sea. Already most of the way across, the gondola swung downward, and collided hard with the cliffside.

 _"No!"_  Taylor screamed, his friends screams echoing in his mind, as he saw the gondola's glass hull crack, tiny spider web splinters appearing, though it seemed to hold.

"We're alive!" Diego cried, smiling gleefully as he patted himself down. " _We're alive!_ " He choked in disbelief, looking up to see the gondola's emergency brake gripping the cable. His smile fell, as with all the weight dangling from the launch platforms pulley, it too, began to creak.

Taylor watched it all unfold with mounting horror, his gut writhing with nauseous fear.  _"Diego!"_  He called desperately, as Zahra hurried to his side.

"That's not gonna hold them up for long!" She said, confirming what Taylor already feared, as she drew him back to his own mind. "They gotta do something!"

Taylor stared at his trapped friends, biting his lip as he desperately tried to think of some way to save them. "Their only hope," he said suddenly, inspiration striking as he followed the cable all the way up to the pulley, "is to have someone climb up the cable."

"What are you waiting for?" Zahra snarked, shoving his shoulder as she stared at the slowly failing brakes. "Tell  _them,_  not  _me!"_  She ordered urgently.

Taylor looked across the abyss and waved his arms wildly, hoping they could see him. He began to mime climbing up the gondola cable, certain Diego would figure out his gestures, so long as he saw them.

"Dude, I love playing charades as much as the next guy, but really?" Craig groaned, as he landed on the ground beside them, looking up at Taylor in confusion.  _"Now?"_

"No, Taylors right!" Zahra praised, patting him on the shoulder as Craig shrugged, and ran back towards the sound of fighting behind them. "They can't hear us from here. It's the only way to signal them!" She explained, not even noticing the jock had already rejoined the fight with Mouse.

"I just hope they know what this means..." Taylor said, the edges of his mind tickling with the pull of Varyyn's thoughts.

Thousands of feet away, inside the gondola and next to a roaring waterfall, he watched through Varyyn's eyes, as Diego pointed out the window suddenly. "Hey! They're trying to tell us something!" He cried, rushing to the glass to stare at the tiny figure on the cliff, his glinting armour the only indication of his identity. "I think Taylor wants us to climb up the cable!"

"Um, good idea and all..." Raj said slowly, chuckling nervously. "But, I definitely think that's a little outside my wheelhouse!"

"Honestly... mine too." Diego admitted, turning to his friend with a sigh, as Varyyn looked up the length of the cable to the cliff edge thoughtfully.

"I have an idea." He said suddenly, glancing down at Diego briefly with a small grin. "Stay here." He said, before smashing the glass door of the gondola and vaulting himself onto the nose of the car, pointing straight up.

"Where the hell d'you think I was gonna  _go?!"_  Diego called after him, as the Vaanti grappled onto the cables and shimmied up, toward the last remaining pulley. Finally, he reached the top, and gripped the cable in both hands tightly, before shouting down to Diego.

"Take hold of the cable!" He yelled, bending his knees as he prepared for the inevitable increase in weight. "All of you!"

"You've gotta be joking!" Diego exclaimed, his eyes wide as he leaned through the broken door, and stared up at Varyyn in disbelief. "You can't pull this whole gondola car up!"

"No, I can't!" Varyyn agreed, shrugging his shoulders expectantly and huffing a small laugh, as he grinned and winked down at him. "But I can pull  _you_  up!"

Taylor could barely make out from the cliff, the way his friends looked at each other, and he could practically hear the loud gulp they shared. His split mind added voices to the distant bodies, though they were almost faint whispers, diluted by the space between themselves and Varyyn.

"Is he saying what I think he's saying?" Raj asked nervously, his large body seeming to shrink in on itself.

"Yeah." Michelle replied, pausing to take a deep breath and gather her nerve. "We've gotta drop the gondola."

Taylor was snapped back into his body with a sudden jolt, when Mouse beat him to the ground again. The soldier then used their jetpack to flip and throw Sean, the athlete landing hard beside Taylor, as he lay on his back and tried to catch his breath.

 _"Kff..._  This guy's good." Sean groaned, as Taylor stared up at the sky, memories attempting to overlap in his mind, but only succeeding in creating a blurry haze.

Taylor allowed himself another second of idol thought, before looking over at Sean, and raising a brow. "Change of plan?" He asked, nodding toward a cart of tools beside the exit they'd cone out of.

"Yep." Sean agreed, groaning as he rolled to his feet. Taylor moved to follow, but as he got to his knees, he gasped, his mind pulled back across the strait; to where Diego, Raj and Michelle were precariously climbing out of the gondola car.

"Don't look down, don't look down,  _don't look down..."_  Raj chanted, gripping the cable tightly, as above them, the last pulley began to snap beside Varyyn.

 _"Hurry!"_  The Elyyshar cried, his eyes with frantic fear as his gaze flickered between the pulley and Diego. "Release the brake!"

"Michelle Nyugen. Killed by a gondola." Michelle groaned, clutching tightly to the cable as she shook her head. "How  _embarrassing."_  She muttered, her cheeks staining red just from the thought.

"Hold onto your butts!" Diego exclaimed, grabbing onto the cable tightly himself.

 _"No, hold onto the cable_!" Raj corrected in blatant terror, his eyes wide as he stared at Diego in horror. " _Not your butts!_ " He warned, as Diego took a deep breath, and kicked the brake release; just as, a hundred feet ahead, the pulley finally collapsed under the strain.

 _"Hrrrrr!"_  Varyyn growled, at the sudden increase in weight on the cable. He heaved, holding the cable with all his might, and slowly began pulling them up. The gondola dropped away beneath Diego's feet, and Taylors breath caught in his throat, as his friend gasped and hung on for dear life.

"Holy cannoli, I think we're gonna be okay-" Raj said, cutting off abruptly when Michelle screamed at him.

" _Look out!"_  She ordered, wincing as the giant steel pulley from the clifftop fell down past them; nearly taking Raj's head off.

"Woo!" Raj yelped, clutching tighter to the cable and trying to make himself small. "No haircut for me, today!  _No thanks!_ "

"Taylor!" Sean called, snapping him back to his own body, as the athlete ran to grab weapons. He hurried to join the athlete, grabbing himself a screwdriver, before doubling over beneath a sudden and heavy wave of nausea in his stomach.

 _"Urgh-"_  he choked, coughing wretchedly, as his head swam with pain. He turned to see Estela finally manage to sweep Mouse's legs from under him, causing the soldier to fall hard on his back. He stiffened when Jake vaulted on top of them, grabbing a rock as time seemed to slow down around them. Taylor watched, as Jake smashed the rock down on to Mouse's faceplate, and a sudden sense of expectancy spread through his gut. "Oh no...  _Please..._  No..." He mumbled, shaking his head in denial, even as his vision blurred, the overlapping memories swarming him until they cleared, playing out in perfect harmony with the present events.  _"Jake..._  no..." He whispered brokenly, his hand raising to his chest, as his heart hammered painfully against his ribcage.

" **Kff! Kff**!" Mouse grunted with every strike, time slowly catching up to itself as Taylor tried to make his legs move, to yell, to do something which would warn his pilot; but he remained frozen, his eyes locked on the faceplate in dread, hoping against hope he was wrong.

" _Don't! Mess_!" Jake growled, smashing the rock against the hard armour with all his might. " _With! My_ -" The faceplate broke away, revealing Mouse's face, and Jake froze, the rock in his hand still cocked back; as Taylors heart fractured, his breath leaving him in a sharp rasp, as he turned away. Jake's voice was so small when he next spoke, Taylors already broken heart shattered beyond compare, his eyes filling with tears as he hung his head in shame. "... Mike?" The pilot choked in disbelief, and Taylor could feel the other mans heartache from the other side of the cliff.

 **"Hrrrraah!"**  Mike growled, making use of Jake's distraction to throw the pilot off him, using his jetpack to instantly pop up to his feet. Taylor looked back, just as he grabbed Jake by the throat and lifted him off the ground.

" _Kch! Kch!"_ Jake gagged, his eyes wide as he stared down at the nan he'd thought was dead. Taylor felt his fear for Jake break through his heartbreak, and he hurried to push himself to his feet, tossing Estela a weapon blindly. Mike squeezed tighter, crushing Jake's trachea, as Taylor raced towards them and his friends raced towards them.

 _"No!"_  Taylor cried desperately, as Jake flailed in the air, trying to claw free of Mike's tight hold on his throat.  _"Now!"_  He yelled urgently to his friends, and Sean immediately smashed Mike's elbow with a pipe, forcing him to drop Jake to the ground, where he coughed and gasped for breath. At the same time, Estela swung hard with a wrench at Mike's knee, causing him to buckle.

 **"Nrrh!"**  Mike grunted, and Taylor felt a brief moment of hesitation, before he recalled Jake's face as Mike choked him. He hardened his fractured heart, and gripped his screwdriver tightly.

 _I don't know you, or what you've been through... And I refuse to feel guilty!_  He thought, telling himself he believed the lie, as he slammed his screwdriver straight into the exposed fuel tank on Mike's jetpack. "Looks like you sprung a leak." He whispered coldly, scowling at the man who had been Jake's best friend.

 **"No!"**  Mike snarled, his face a mask of fury, as he caught sight of the fluid leaking from his fuel tank.

"Nice move, Taylor!" Estela said, clapping him on the shoulder, only for Taylor to immediately throw her off, his heart to twisted with his grief and resentment to accept her praise.

"It's a critical hit!" Zahra cheered enthusiastically, beaming a wide grin at the Taylor, as she winked cockily and threw Craig a thumbs up. "Finish him off, P-Two!"

 _"Haaiiii-yah!"_  Craig growled, as he landed a running, two footed jump kick square into Mike's chest.

 **"Hrrrk!"**  The soldier gasped, as he somersaulted backwards over the edge of the cliff.

 _"Miiiike!"_  Jake's desperate cry tore through Taylor like a jagged blade, and he watched with a sinking heart as Jake scrabbled frantically towards the edge of the cliff. They watched, as Mike fired his thrusters, which sputtered weakly due to the leaking fuel; but he managed to slow himself enough, that he was able to grab onto the pillars jagged wall, three hundred feet below. The soldier stared up at them, at Jake, from several stories down. His face showed no signs of hate, or recognition, just an empty blankness; nothing. Taylor turned away, desperately searching for a distraction from his overwhelming rush of emotions, and noticed Sean helping Quinn to her feet nearby.

 _"Owww..."_  She groaned, rubbing her head gingerly, as she pouted around them all. "Ow, ow! Why'd he go after  _me?!"_  She whined, dabbing at the cut on her forehead and grimacing when her fingertips came away red.

"Well, since you're out resident superhero," Sean said, beaming a wide grin at her, as he nudged her shoulder playfully. "I think he thought you were the biggest target."

"Did the others make it across?" Craig asked, as he and Zahra traded battle wounds and sniggered at the bruises they expected to have.

Taylor stared blankly across the strait, before realising Craig had asked him something, and he shook his head; forcing back his confusion and guilt, as he looked over to the main island. "Barely." He mumbled, as he narrowed his eyes, just managing to make out Diego, Varyyn, Raj and Michelle waving to them, before disappearing into the snowy woods for cover.

"Looks like we're gonna have to find our own way over." Zahra said, sighing as she eyed the destroyed gondola.

"We need to get to the helipad." Taylor muttered, recalling Aleister's optimistic plan, as he lowered his eyes on the floor and tried to ignore the way his gut churned with nausea.

"That's a good plan! We've seen choppers coming and going..." Sean said, clapping Taylor on the shoulder warmly, only for him to slip free of the touch, uncomfortable with the praise. "Jake, would you know how to fly one of those?" The athlete asked, his brow raised at Taylors odd behaviour.

When Jake failed to respond, Taylor reluctantly turned to see him staring blankly into the distance, stunned by the revelation. Taylor felt the pieces of his heart crunch, as if beneath a heavy boot, at the devastation on the pilots face. "Did... did you see what Lundgren... did to him?" He choked, as Taylor swallowed heavily, closing his eyes as he tried to box away his own feelings in the darkest pit of his heart.

 _"Jake!"_  Estela growled, scowling down at the oblivious pilot. "Can you fly one of those Arachnid helicopters or what?"

"He can." Taylor assured quietly, his eyes slowly peeling open, as he swallowed heavily. With a deep breath, he moved slowly towards the distressed pilot.

"Anybody got a flask on 'em?" Jake asked distractedly, running his hand through his hair as he struggled to process what he'd seen. "I could use a drink-"

Taylor dropped to his knees, and grabbed Jake roughly by the shoulders, his emotions carefully locked away, as he forced the pilot to meet his eyes. "Jake, listen to me." He said firmly, swallowing heavily as Jake's clear eyes remained clouded by grief. "I  _know,_  how bad it hurts you to see Mike like that, but..." He paused, taking a deep shuddering breath, as he forced the words through his constricting throat, and past his reluctant lips. "It's not to late."

"Not too late for  _what?!"_  Jake demanded, his eyes clearing suddenly from the shocking statement.

"To  _save_  him." Taylor said thickly, his heart clenching painfully, before he clamped down hard on his emotions. "To bring him  _back."_  He said, clearing his throat. He took a quick breath, and pressed on, his hands rising to Jake's cheeks to stroke his stubble with his thumb. "That... that  _thing_  that attacked us?" He said, shaking his head as he tried to inject his love and affection into his words. "That's  _not_  your... friend. But he's still in there, somewhere... I  _know_  it." He said, forcing an awkward smile to his face, and praying it looked natural. "And we'll get him out for you."

Jake stared at him for a long moment, his eyes slowly roving over Taylors face, as if searching for something. "You think so, huh?" Jake murmured quietly, reaching up to squeeze one of Taylors hands gently.

Taylor nodded solemnly, his heart racing hectically in his chest.  _"Absolutely."_  He said, ignoring the doubts which roared within him, that Jake would no longer be his, once they did free Mike's imprisoned mind. "But we can't do it... If we don't survive today."

Jake drew in a deep breath, exhaling shakily, as he glanced at the cliff where Mike had disappeared. "Yeah." He said quietly, swallowing as he nodded and turned back to Taylor. "Yeah, okay... I can fly us outta here in whatever you put me in." He said, as Taylor nodded and lowered his gaze, about to withdraw his hands from the pilot, when Jake caught hold of them tightly. His eyes rose to Jake's in surprise, lips parting to question the pilots actions, when Jake drew him into a lingering kiss instead.

Taylors heart wept with guilt, affection, shame and joy; his body thrumming with his wild emotions as the pilots kiss overwhelmed him. "I can see it, eatin' at ya." Jake murmured knowingly against his lips, his clear eyes intent, though still marred by pain and grief. "This changes nothin', so far as  _you're_  concerned..." Jake assured, as Taylor choked, a flood of gratitude and devotion swelling in his heart, even as the darkness within himself whispered that the words were no more than a comforting lie. He forced a smile to his lips, and nodded, burying the tiny voice in his mind beneath his love and affection; hoping he might smother it entirely.

"I've always wanted to say this..." Craig said, as they got to their feet, excitement coiling in his thick muscles. " _Get... To... The... Choppaaaa!_ " He growled, punching the air, as he lead a one man charge towards the door they'd exited through. The others glanced at each other briefly, before following after him quickly; Jake leading Taylor by the hand, which he stubbornly held onto, determined to reassure Taylor still. They each took a collective deep breath, as they stepped back into the elevator, and rode it to the main deck of the facility. They stepped out and began to make their way through the hall cautiously, when Zahra suddenly stopped beside a window.

"Look! We're getting close." She said, pointing through the window. "You can see the hanger and helipad from here." She added, as Taylor stepped up beside her and peered through the glass. He could see a Rourke International chopper taking off, and inside he could just make out Rourke, sitting with an obviously furious Grace, and a distracted looking Aleister.

"Damn." Sean growled, scowling at the chopper with narrowed eyes. "Where the hell are they taking her?" He demanded, his hands balling into fists.

"Somewhere safe." Taylor muttered, looking around to see the others looking at him in surprise. He opened his mouth, about to explain Aleister's ruse, when he reconsidered and instead shrugged awkwardly. "Makes the most sense, right?" He said, looking away as he cleared his throat guiltily.

"Well, we're only gonna find out for sure, if we make it out of this base alive..." Quinn said, looking around them all determinedly, her eyes settling on Taylor as she raised a suspicious brow, seemingly sensing his turbulent mood.

"Wait a second..." Zahra said, grinning deviously, as she gestured to a sign overhead, labelled 'Coolant Control.' "Check it out." She said smugly, waggling her pierced eyebrows suggestively.

"Yeah..?" Craig asked finally, glancing at the others to make sure he wasn't the only one who didn't follow her.  _"So?"_

 _"'So?'"_  Zahra demanded, her expression quickly darkening as she gestured around the complex angrily. "If we just run out of here, then we came here for  _nothing!_  We lost Grace for  _nothing!"_  She snarled, glaring around them all a moment, before breaking out into a cocky grin. "Don't you want some payback?"

"What do you have in mind, Snape?" Taylor asked, his heart fluttering with interest, as he thought of striking back at Rourke.  _Plus, it means **that**  vision can never come true_... He thought, glancing at Jake and swallowing heavily, quickly averting his eyes again before the pilot would notice his gaze on him.

"A cooling system that big?" Zahra said thoughtfully, clicking her tongue against her cheek, as she shook her head. "They've gotta be creating some serious heat, up in the processing towers..." She explained, her devilish smirk returning as her eyes danced with excitement. "I send the cooling system haywire, the thong overheats, and  _boom!"_  She said, slapping her hand across her thigh. "No more  **MASADA."**

"Know what, Skrillex?" Jake said, smirking as he winked at her. "I  _like_  the way you think!" He said, as the pair bumped fists.

"What about the hotel guests?" Quinn asked worriedly, her cheeks puffing out in a concerned pout. "Rourke has them all in those stasis tubes down below..."

"Yeah, beneath, like, a hundred feet of  _solid rock_." Zahra said, waving her hand dismissively. "Those will be fine... I'm talking about their base of operation,  _above_  the pillar."

Craig cracked his knuckles excitedly, beaming a huge grin at the hacker.  _"Hell_  yeah." He said, as he offered Zahra a high five, before looking around the group eagerly. "I dunno about y'all, but I'd like to hit 'em on the counter."

"You're  _seriously_  asking  _me,_  if I wanna blow up Rourke's shit?" Taylor snorted, shaking his head in feigned disappointment, as Quinn giggled, and Jake squeezed his hand. "And I thought you  _knew_  me..." He sighed, grinning at Craig, Estela and Sean, before winking conspiratorially at Zahra. "Okay, guys, let's blow this place sky high!"

"Aw,  _hell_  yeah!" Craig cheered, his fists pumping the air in excitement. "That's what I like to hear!"

"Yeah!" Quinn giggled, grinning goofily as she clasped her arms behind her back and rocked onto her toes. "We've been kicked around enough! Let's knock 'em down a peg!"

"What I'd give to see Rourke's face, when his precious base goes up in flames..." Estela sighed wistfully, as Zahra booted up the system, and began hacking in.

 _"Pfft._  This places cybersec is pathetic." She snorted confidently, before her eyes widened suddenly. "Whoops... Spoke too soon. It's gonna be a minute." She said, glancing up at them briefly. "Keep an eye out for me, will ya? We don't wanna get snuck up on..."

Taylor gently disentangled his hand from Jake's, and wandered over to the other side of the room, running a hand through his hair, as he took a deep breath and sighed quietly.  _Every time I finally think I have this under control, it bites me in the ass_... He thought dejectedly, staring absently put of a nearby window. He curled his hand into a tight ball, the nails digging in deep enough to almost break the skin.  _What the hell is the point of all these memories, of all of this! When I can't use any of it?! When I can't get to then until its too late to do anything.._? He thought angrily, exhaling a heavy breath through his nose, as he leaned his forehead against the cool glass of the window for a moment, his expression twisting with guilt, as his thoughts swerved to another focus.  _Why? Why do I feel so... so threatened, by him..? What the hell is **wrong**  with me?_ He sighed, shaking his head as a hand landed on his shoulder suddenly, making him yelp in surprise.

"You're thinkin' too loud." Jake said, moving around him and crossing his arms and legs, as he leaned against the wall beside him. "What's eating you?" He asked, though his cerulean eyes glinted with suspicion.

Taylors lips twisted into a grimace, his eyes averting to gaze through the window once more. "I just... I hate that there's all this knowledge I have in my head... And I can't  _do_  anything with it. I..." He hesitated, biting his lip as his eyes stung with tears. "I should be able to do more. I should be able to  _protect_  everyone!" He said, jabbing his fist roughly into the wall, only for Jake to quickly snatch it between his own.

"Hey, it  _ain't_  your fault." The pilot said soothingly, glossing over Taylors obvious misdirection of the conversation. "Whatever's in that head of yours, whatever reason it's there for; we'll figure it out...  _And,"_  the pilot said, pushing away from the wall to draw Taylor into a tight embrace. "We'll do it together." He whispered in Taylors ear, as Taylor closed his eyes and gripped the back of Jake's jacket tightly, his heart fluttering at the gentle reassurance.

He sighed, his eyes opening as he drew back, tipping his head towards where Zahra was scowling at the coolant control terminal. "Come on, Top Gun, lets go see how Snape's getting on..." He said, a small smile curving his lips. He stepped back, only to feel something underfoot, and he looked down curiously. "Huh?" He leaned down to pick up a soft, thin cylinder, his brows creasing into a frown, as he read the label wrapped around the tip. "' _Hecho en la Habana_.' This is a... Cuban Cigar?" He asked, raising his brows at Jake curiously.

"Yeah. One of Lundgren's." Jake said, his eyes darkening st the thought of his ex commander, and whatever evil things he'd done to Mike. "That was always his favourite brand. Special occasions only. Hell, I reckon that was his last one!" He snorted in amusement, before his brow furrowed suddenly. "Kinda weird that he forgot it." He said nervously, worrying his lip as he narrowed his eyes at the floor.

"Why would he even be in here?" Estela asked curiously, as Zahra continued to tap furiously at the coolant control terminal, mumbling to herself as she worked.

"Beats me..." Jake snorted, shaking himself free of whatever thoughts had briefly consumed him. "But, knowing that  _backstabber..?_  I bet he had the same idea Zahra had. In case he ever gets tired of doing Rourke's bidding." He said, taking the cigar from Taylors fingers and producing a lighter from his pocket. Taylor raised a pointed brow, as the pilot lit the cigar and puffed on it proudly, grinning gleefully. "Can you  _imagine_  him, knowing I smoked his last Havana?" He asked wistfully, his eyes dancing with joy. "Oh man, he'd be so pissed."

"Aw, well, you enjoy yourself, Top Gun," Taylor said sweetly, patting Jake's cheek affectionately, as the pilot beamed at him. "Because I am  _not_  kissing you after you've smoked that thing." He added with a snort, folding his arms over his chest and watching in amusement as Jake's expression wilted.

"But-" Jake protested, pouting, though he determinedly continued to puff at the cigar.

"Not a chance, Jake. That thing  _stinks."_  Taylor sniggered, nudging the pilots shoulder lightly. "But hey, in a couple of days, when the smells faded-"

"A couple  _days?!"_  Jake spluttered, his eyes widening to comical proportions, as Taylor sniggered at his horror.

"Worst case scenario, I'm sure." He said, hesitating briefly, before winking at the pilot. "Almost sure." He said, sniggering at Jake's obvious distress. He sighed in mock resignation, and rolled his eyes dramatically. "Okay, fine... Maybe you'll convince me after a day." He relented, a shake stared at him in blank shock.

"You..." The pilot stammered, shaking his head in disbelief. "You... Aw hell, you're  _so_  gonna pay for that one later." The pilot promised, finally snorting in amusement, as Taylor sniggered. "Gimme five minutes." The pilot said cockily, watching Taylor with a soft and affectionate gaze, as he laughed and shook his head.

"No chance, Top Gun." Taylor assured, wrinkling his nose. "That thing really  _does_  stink." He said, turning as Zahra cheered behind them.

"Alright." She said, a huge grin forming, as she tapped a few final keys, and then slammed the final pad. " _We... Are... Set_!" She said proudly, as a collective cheer rang out among them.

"Great!" Taylor cheered, smiling over at her. "How long 'til it blows?" He asked curiously, as they walked back over to her.

"Five minutes." She said, shrugging indifferently, as the group snigeered at her.

"Good one." Jake said, beaming a wide grin at her as he took another puff on his stolen cigar. "How much time  _really?"_

"Well, now, four minutes and fifty five seconds." She said calmly, checking a timer she had set on her watch.

"You only gave us _five minutes_  to get out?!" Quinn cried in alarm, her eyes widening as she realised Zahra was being serious.

"Hey, that's  _plenty_  of time!" Zahra defended, scowling around their stunned expressions. "And we don't want them to have long enough to undo it!" She said, her scowl only deepening as they continued to stare at her. "You know what? You wanna blow up a billion dollar facility? Next time,  _you_  learn how to hack a military grade network." She snarked, turning away with a huff.

"We can bicker about this later!" Sean said urgently, already moving backwards down the hall. "Right now, we gotta haul ass!" He said, leading them into a sprint down the hallway.

Overheating alarms began to blare, as they raced through the  **MASADA**  Complex, heading for the aerial hangar and helipad. "There it is!" Taylor cried, pointing to a fully loaded, military assault chopper, sitting on the helipad; ready to go. "They've got one helicopter left!" As they ran towards it, they noticed the vehicle was flickering and wavering beneath the fluorescent lights.

"Whoa, whoa..." Sean warned, raising an arm to slow them all, as he eyed the phenomena suspiciously. "What the hell? Is it a hologram?"

"No way... It's..." Zahra whispered, reaching out, only for her hand to pass straight through the choppers hull. "It's  _phase shifting..!"_

 _"What?!"_  Estela demanded, scowling at the chopper furiously, as if it were trying to personally sabotage their escape.

"You mean, like, its moving between dimensions?" Taylor clarified, his heart racing as he imagined Zahra's countdown ticking ever closer to it's explosive conclusion.

"Or  _timelines..."_  Zahra said, shaking her head despondently. Taylor swallowed heavily, staring at the flickering chopper and desperately willing himself to remember if there was another way out.

"So in one version of events, it's here, and in another, it's not..." Jake summarized, glaring at Zahra in irritation. "And we're seeing both?  _Why?"_  He demanded urgently, his hands clenching into balls.

"The island is basically one big fault line in the space time continuum..." Zahra explained, spreading her palms helplessly.

"So, we could be on the verge of making some decision that could decide whether the choppers even here in the first place..?" Taylor hedged, as Zahra nodded.

"You mean..." Jake said, swallowing hard as his face fell in sudden realisation. "If  _Arachnid's_  even here in the first place." He said, a pained look flashing over his face.

"What are you saying?" Estela asked, glancing nervously between Zahra's watch, the flickering helicopter and the pilot.

"I'm saying that Arachnid came here for  _me."_  Jake said, sighing heavily as he ran a hand through his hair. "Somehow, they  _knew_  I was here... And, I think I just realised who told 'em..." He said, reaching into Taylors bag, and taking the crystal transponder.

Taylor gasped, remembering the garbled message they'd heard in the Arachnid humvee. "Jake,  _no!"_  He cried, reaching out to grab Jake's hand, but the pilot avoided his grasp.

"Wait, what's going on?" Estela asked, her eyes wide as they darted between Jake and Taylor, a sthe pair stared at each other in broken realisation.

"It was Jake..." Taylor said, his eyes wellong with tears as he gripped his bag tightly. "It was Jake all along... He... But you don't have to! We can find another way!"

"Jake, what are you doing?" Sean demanded, as Jake lowered his eyes to the transponder in his hand. "You're gonna tell Lundgren your position, back in time?"

"But, wait!" Craig cried, waving his arms to gesture around them. "If you don't, maybe they'll all just vanish!"

"Exactly! Without Lundgren, or Fiddler or-" Taylor broke off abruptly, biting his lip as he came to realise a far more selfish reason for his protestations.  _No Arachnid means no Mouse... Means Jake never knows, that Mike's alive.._. He thought, shaking his head at his own selfishness.  _Talk about low blows_... He thought bitterly, a heavy dose of self loathing curling in his gut.

"You guys can't stop him." Zahra said quietly, gesturing towards Jake. "He already did it. That's why they're here... If he  _doesn't_  now; it's a paradox." She said, her expression falling sadly. "He  _always_  turned himself in."

"Besides, even if they did vanish, then we're trapped here with no way out. I can't risk that." Jake reasoned, shaking his head. His eyes rose slowly to meet Taylors, darkened by his heavy emotions. "I can't risk  _you,_  Boy Scout." He said brokenly, biting his lip as Taylors heart swelled with guilt, shame and love combined.

"This choppers our one ticket off this rock. And there's only one way to make sure Lundgren comes here for me." He said firmly, tapping digits into the transponders keypad, before lifting it's microphone to his head. " _You want Jake McKenzie? Come get him_." He growled bitterly, the words perfectly fitting the eerie echo in Taylors mind, which he'd heard even before the recording had been legible. " _June first, fifteen degrees, eleven minutes, seventeen seconds North; seventy three degrees, twenty three minutes, sixteen seconds West."_  He said, before turning the transponder off. He swallowed heavily, before raising his head and meeting Taylors watery eyes hopefully. "Well? Did that do it?" He asked urgently.

Taylor turned back to the helicopter, his heart melting at the pilots gesture even as it broke for it. The chopped was no longer flickering, and when he reached out , he touched its solid hull. "It's here." He said quietly, turning back to Jake as his tears spilled over his cheeks. "It's real now."

Jake stepped closer, tossing the transponder into Taylors bag, as he gently wiped away his tears. "Then whaddya say we ge the hell offa this rock?" The pilot asked quietly, smiling down at Taylor softly. Taylor swallowed thickly, reaching up to pluck the cigar from Jake's mouth, and replace it with a brief but tender and emotion fueled kiss.

"And you hate  _my_  plans..." He huffed, as he replaced the pilots cigar, and moved to follow the others aboard the chopper.

"I thought you weren't kissing me while I had this..." Jake muttered, as he climbed into the pilot seat and spun up the rotors.

"Yeah well, you convinced me..." Taylor said, squeezing the pilots shoulder as his heart thundered loudly in his chest, watching his pilot as he ran through the startup process.

"Hurry it up!" Zahra cried, disrupting their moment as she looked at her watch. "We've got two minutes!"

"Copy." Jake said, flicking switches, just as the hangar doors flew open, and Arachnid troops streamed out; aiming their weapons at the chopper.

" **There they are!** " One yelled, as they scrambled to block the exit. " **Ground that chopper**!" Another cried, though Taylor couldn't differentiate between them over the distance.

"Um... Guys?" Quinn said nervously, backing away into the furthest corner of the chopper, rubbing her cut brow as she recalled their last fight with someone from Arachnid.

"Oh good," Estela growled, smirking as she peered down at the gathering soldiers. "They almost missed the party." She said smugly. The mercenaries began to pepper the chopper with bullets, and Taylor quickly ducked down behind the thick armoured hull, his friends quickly following his example.

"I need some more time to get us off the ground!" Jake called, scowling at his controls, as he raced through the start up procedure as fast as he could.

"This is an attack helicopter!" Estela roared, gesturing to the chain gun and missiles clearly visible attached to the chopper. "Let's fight back!"

 _Probably not the best idea to fire missiles in an enclosed space so..._  Taylor thought, as he looked over at the chain gun thoughtfully, and saw Craig crouched just behind the huge weapon. "Craig! Use the chain gun!" He called, grinning as he pointed to the massive gun, bolted to the side of the helicopters hull. "That'll send 'em running!" He said, sniggering as Craig's face lit up with joy.

"Now you're talkin' my language!" The jock cheered excitedly, clambering up and getting behind the chain gun, swivelling it around to face the enemy with a heavy scowl and a dark chuckle. He yanked back on the slide, as he growled at the attacking troops. "Don't call it a comeback." He said, the corner of his lip tugging upwards as the soldiers all paused.

" **Ohhhhh shiiii-"**  one began to grian, as Craig fired the chain gun; two hundred rounds a minute, spraying across the hangar. The mercs cover exploded in a hail of debris. "Fall back! Fall back!" The soldiers yelled, retreating from the hangar; running for their lives, while Craig bellows maniacally.

" _Get some!_ " The jock cried, as he sprayed bullets in every direction throughout the hangar. Soon, the hangar was completely empty. Jake tilted the controls, and the chopper lifted off, moving away from the base.

"Good lord, dude." Sean gasped, staring at Craig in shock and awe, as the jock clambered down from the chain gun with a deep, content sigh.

"Ha ha!" Jake cheered, grinning broadly over his shoulder, as he winked at Craig. "Not bad, Rambo!"

"You see that, Z?" Craig asked, his eyes wide with excitement as he grabbed her hands and pointed back to the hangar. "They ran off! They were so  _scared_  of me!"

"Maybe." Zahra said, shrugging noncommittally, though her lips quirked with amusement. "Or maybe they were scared of the-" she was cut off however, by an enormous and deafening explosion. The world whited out, as  **MASADA's**  processing towers overheated, and combusted.

 _"Whoa!"_  Taylor gasped, shielding his eyes from the bright light with one hand, while using the other to grab hold of the co-pilots seat to keep his balance, as the blast wave rocked the chopper to the side.

"Hang on!" Jake warned, and Taylor reached over to rest his hand on the pilots shoulder reassuringly as his eyes adjusted. He blinked, as he saw the massive complex towers collapsing into the sea. His attention was caught by a figure, standing on the cliffside, watching them coldly. Jake smirked, giving Lundgren a lazy salute. "Adios, amigo!" He called smugly, as Lundgren's expression darkened.

"Uh, Jake... I don't think you should-" Taylor warned, only to cut off into a groan, as Lundgren coiled his legs, and jumped. "Aw,  _crap!"_  He sighed, as Sean's jaw dropped.

"No... Way..." The athlete choked, watching the corrupt military commander in disbelief. As, powered by his exoskeleton, Lundgren flew up through the air and landed on the nose of the chopper.

"Aw, gimme a break!" Jake growled, scowling through the windscreen at his ex commander, as he tried to steady the chopper from the impact.

Taylor watched Lundgren's eyes go wide, at the sight if the cigar between Jake's teeth. "That's  _my_  Havana!" He snarled, his face hardening into a fierce glare.

"Mine now, Darth Douchebag!" Jake growled in return, as Lundgren climbed over the side, grabbed the closed helicopter door, and started pulling it off its rack.

"Holy crap..." Estela choked, her eyes wide as she shook her head in awe. "That exoskeleton is...  _unstoppable!"_

"Taylor!" Quinn cried, her eyes desperate as she caught his gaze from the back of the chopper. "What do we  _do?!"_  She pleaded, her eyes darting nervously toward Lundgren.

Taylor looked back at the corrupt military commander, swallowing heavily as he wondered if they even had a weapon which would slow him down in such a suit. He narrowed his eyes in determination suddenly, inspiration striking as he locked his eyes on the metallic glint of his exoskeleton. "We need to shock him!"

 _"What?!"_  Craig yelped, staring at Taylor with wide eyes, as he tried to follow his reasoning.

"His strength, is all in that exoskeleton!" Taylor explained, gesturing to the glinting metallic suit. "If we can short circuit it somehow, he's a pushover!"

"Great idea! Love it..." Sean enthused, offering Taylor a thumbs up gesture, as he stared at Lundgren with wide eyes. "Now, how exactly do we do that?!"

"Leave that to me..." Zahra said, smirking broadly as she ripped open the compartment above the co-pilots seat, and started stripping wires.

"Careful with that!" Jake yelped, his eyes darting between Zahra, Lundgren, Taylor and his controls. "My instruments are going crazy!"

 _"I'm_  gonna go crazy if you don't  _shut up!"_  Zahra snarked, otherwise ignoring the pilot, as she continued to rapidly strip wires.

Taylor scowled, taking a step back in the chopper, as Lundgren finally ripped the heavy door free and tossed it into the void. He grinned at Taylor, cornered in the chopper's bay. "Wolf seems to have taken something of mine, so I think I'll repay the favour." He snarled, his lips curved into a ferocious snarl. "I've got you now." He said smugly.

"Is that so,  _Sparky?"_  Zahra asked smugly, turning to face him from the co-pilots seat, her hands behind her back.

"'Sparky'?" Lundgren sneered, shaking his head in disgust. "Guess the bad nicknames have been rubbing off on you." He said, grinning as he turned away from her, and reached for Taylor.

Zahra jammed two exposed wires into Lundgren's exoskeleton before he could grab Taylors arm, electrocuting him. "Who said anything, about a nickname?" She asked, beaming a cocky grin at the corrupt military commander, as smoke began to rise from his suit's servos.

 _"Nnh..."_  Lundgren gasped, tilting backwards as he lost consciousness. Just before he fell free of the door however, he grabbed at Zahra.

"Hey!" She cried, her eyes growing wide as he dragged her towards the door. "Get off!" She demanded, furiously pulled back against his right grip.

"Z, I've got you!" Craig cried, desperately lunging for her, but it was already too late. The massive weight of Lundgren's exoskeleton pulled her out of the open door with him.  _"Zahra!"_  Craig bellowed, as the pair vanished into the water with a splash. The jock almost followed after her, except Sean and Estela grabbed at his arms to hold him back.

 _"Zahra!"_  Quinn gasped, her hands rising to her mouth in horror, as she stared at the spot where the girl had been, only moments before.

"Jake! Turn around!" Taylor cried, grabbing the back of Jake's chair. "We've gotta go back for her!"

"Okay, okay, I'll-" the pilot agreed worriedly, only to cut off suddenly, his eyes widening as the missile alert began to bleat on his dash.  _"Whoa!"_  He cried, swinging the chopper's tail around, narrowly missing a streaking rocket. Taylor glanced at Jake, resting his hand on the pilots shoulder as his face paled, no doubt recalling the last time he'd had such alerts bleating at him. Taylor squeezed, before looking through the windscreen urgently, trying to see where the rocket had come from.

"What the  _hell?!"_  Estela demanded, her eyes wide as she barely managed to keep her balance. "Who's shooting at us?!"

Taylor peered up against thencliffs, and his face morphed into a spiteful scowl, as ge saw a mammoth figure, heaving a rocket launcher over his shoulder. "Can't get rid of me that easy!" Tetra cheered, as he readied his rocket launcher for the next shot.

"Oh, I  _really_  don't like you!" Taylor snarled, his fury fading as Tetra aimed his huge weapon at them once again.  _"Go!_  He's shooting again!" Taylor warned urgently, his eyes widening as Tetra laughed maniacally.

"What about Zahra?!" Craig cried desperately, straining towards the open door again.

"Right now, she's probably safer where she is!" Taylor called back, capturing the jocks gaze with his own. "If we live through this, we can sweep back for her!" He promised, relief washing through him, when Craig slumped and nodded in agreement.

 _"Go!"_  Estela roared, and Jake quickly accelerated, weaving around another rocket as he fired flares. The missile lock sounded once more and Jake growled in frustration.

"I can't shake him!" The pilot exclaimed, desperately trying to outmaneuver the enormous mans attacks.

"Let's see you dodge  _this_  one, Jakey Wakey!" Tetra called, laughing maniacally as he fired. The rocket lanced towards them, it's aim true. Taylor swallowed, turning to his friends, as Quinn raised her eyes to his.

"... I won't forget you, Taylor." Quinn said quietly, moving forward quickly and pressing a kiss to his cheek, before stepping out of his reach.

"What?" Taylor asked, fear clutching at his heart, as Quinn smiled at him sweetly. "Quinn, what are you-" he choked off abruptly, his hand rising to his suddenly aching chest, as he dropped to his knees. Quinn's eyes flashed green, and her hair levitated in a halo around her.

"Quinn-" Taylor choked, desperately reaching for her, as his heart raced with sharp lances of pain. The redhead floated out of the open chopper door, into the path of the rocket.  _"Quinn..! No..!"_  Taylor pleaded, crying out as the pain in his chest surged with the power radiating from her.

Levitating, Quinn extended her hand out towards the missile, her eyes narrowed in concentration.  ** _"Stop."_**  She commanded, and the rocket detonated, twenty feet from the chopper. However, the resulting blast was still strong enough to destroy the tail rotor.

 _"No!"_  Taylor cried, gasping as the power pulling in his chest ceased abruptly.  _"Quinn!"_  He cried desperately, searching the sky for the redhead, but finding nothing but smoke and fire.

"Aw,  _hell!"_  Jake yelled, struggling to control the chopper. "Hang on! We're goin' down!" He warned, desperately trying to direct the chopper to a safe landing spot.

"This is  _twice_  now, Jake!" Craig yelled, grabbing onto the harness rail to keep his balance. "I'm  _never_  flying with you again!" He cried desperately.

As the helicopter spun out if control, Taylor hung onto a handhold, still searching the air desperately. "Quinn!" He called, pleading with the girl to answer him, as tears coursed down his cheeks.  _"Quinn,_  where  _are_  you?!" He called, only for the turbulence to increase.  _"Whoaaa!"_  He gasped, as the handhold popped loose, and he went sliding across the floor.

 _"Taylor!"_  Jake cried diving for him, and as he fell out of the chopper, Taylor reached out in desperationv, barely managing to grab hold of the landing skid with one hand, hanging on for dear life as the world blurred around him.

 _"Whoaaaaaa!"_  He gasped, his legs flailing on the air, as he looked up to see Jake; lying on his stomach, and reaching towards him desperately.

"Come on, Boy Scout!" He barked, scowling at him, though his eyes were glazed with fear. "You can do it! Gimme your hand!" He ordered, stretching towards him urgently.

Taylor caught sight of a beautiful shimmering bay, glimmering far beneath him, spinning dizzily. He looked back up at Jake, stretching out his right hand, as his left one lost more and more grip. "Jake..." He whispered, terror flooding his heart as he stared up at Jake. "I'm slipping!"

"No, you're  _not!"_  Jake growled in denial, his eyes widening in fear as Taylor's grip slipped further. "You're  _fine!"_  He cried desperately, stretching himself further. "I can  _almost_  reach..."

Just as their fingers grazed each other, Taylors other hand slipped.  _"Jake!"_  He cried, as he fell from the chopper.

 _"Taylor!"_  Jake roared, fully prepared to let go, but Taylor was relieved to see Sean grab hold of him.

Taylor locked his eyes onto Jake, as he plummeted downwards, weightless; determined to make the pilot the last thing he saw, though he wished his eyes weren't so wide and filled with horror. He stared until he couldn't see the pilot anymore, and as the bay rose up to meet him, he finally closed his eyes in acceptance. "...  _Goodbye."_  He whispered brokenly, wishing their story could have ended differently this time, but pleased the pilot had a chance to live at least.

He hit the water with a hard crack, and immediately began to sink, deeper and deeper, until the darkness swallowed him. His final thought, was that he hoped he could remember everything faster in his next lifetime, wishing to return to the man he loved, as the pilot flew them to La Huerta once more. But he was sadly unaware, that this time; there would be no more resets.


	18. Interim 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a broken heart for Mike... just saying. I know Taylor jsnt exactly too fond of him, but i really DO love him... 
> 
> Anywhooo...
> 
> This has a tiny set up for the next book, though nostly feels. The epilogue i hope to have finished tonight - but obviously its all a case of watxh this space... ;p
> 
> Ive just realised i skipped furball and the yeti doing their scene - but uh, maybe ill add it in when i re edit the whole series..? Heh...
> 
> Thankyou everyone. Youre... you are all SO AMAZING. Words dont express it enough; i love you all and ypur support has been, phenomenal xxx
> 
> x My love to you all x

_**Dear Jake;** _

_I... I might not have ever been the... uh, most comfortable, around Mike... but, if I could, I would have spared him all of it. I considered not telling you... I uh, I know what it will do to you, knowing just what Lundgren really did... but, I promised to always be honest; so, I'm trying to._

_Even if I'm doing it via the cowards way..._

**18.**

**Interim 6.**

**Three years ago...**

In a dingy, medical ward of a Naval base on Central Asia, a man stirred in a hospital bed; his body wrapped up in thick bandages.  _"Ungh..."_  Mike groaned, his eyes fluttering open to gaze blearily at the ceiling. "What..? Where..." He choked thickly, his throat hoarse from disuse. Next to him, a man stirred in a chair beside him, and his heart lurched suddenly; as his memories came flooding back to him. The set up, the missiles, the jammed ejection gear; his sacrifice.  _"Jake!_  Is that-" he began desperately, his heart fluttering with hope; until the man's cigar burnt bright, and Mike's heart jerked to a sudden halt.

"Well, look at that." Drawled the voice Mike most despised, his corrupt commander, Rex Lundgren. "Awake at last." He sneered, a cruel smirk curling his lips, as he puffed on his cigar. "The others figured you'd never make it, but I bet on you." He said, his eyes narrowing as he leaned forward in his chair, leering at Mike speculatively. "You always were the toughest of us, Darwin."

"You  _son of a bitch_ , I'll  _kill-"_  Mike growled, lunging unthinkingly for Lundgren, only for excruciating pain to shoot through every inch of his body.  _"Aaargh!"_  He cried, as he slumped back into the bed, rasping pained gasps for breath.

"Heh," Lundgren chuckled, watching Mike in amusement. "You're not exactly in the shape to make any threats." He said, chuckling dryly.

 _"You..."_  Mike gasped, his body aching, burning as he writhed in agony on the bed. "You set us up..." He choked, his brow creasing, as his eye throbbed painfully.

"I wouldn't go pointing fingers." Lundgren warned darkly, scowling down at the injured man, writhing on the bed. "After all, I'm not the treacherous  _rat_  planning to betray his commanding officer!" He growled, looming over Mike ominously. "Did you really think I wouldn't _know?"_ He asked in a furious whisper, sneering down his nose in disgust. "I run a tight ship, you idiot. I know  _everything_  that happens under my roof."

Mike groaned, his eyes closing as pain washed through him. He saw the blinding flash of light, the cockpit exploding around him as Jake screamed brokenly, and his eyes snapped open in fear.  _"Jake..."_  He gasped, his heart racing to a staccato beat. "Is he..." He began, his words failing him as fear consumed his heart.

"Wolf?" Lundgren snorted, leaning back in his seat as he gazed at Mike thoughtfully for a moment. "He's alive.  _For now."_  He conceded at last, his expression darkening, as Mike's heart stuttered in relief. "He ejected somewhere over Kharzistan. We've got all the squads looking for him." He said, his lip curling into a furious sneer, his hands clenching into tight fists. "He won't run long, believe me." He promised darkly, before brightening, as he looked over at Mike smugly.

 _"You..._  You weren't so lucky. We recovered the cockpit from the Caspian a few days ago." He said, pushing to his feet, as he leaned over Mike, running his eyes over his heavily bandaged body. "Hate to break it to you, but your body's a mess. Spine broken. Third degree burns on eighty seven percent of your body... And, I hope you weren't attached to your legs..." He said, smirking down at him as he clicked his tongue against his cheek in dark amusement. "... Because they  _ain't_  attached to you."

Mike choked, reluctantly looking down to see his body end at mid thigh.  _"Nnnh..."_  He gagged, nausea swelling in the pit of his stomach, as his hand clutched at the bed sheets. Horror swarming through him, as his mind vehemently refused, the awful sight which his eyes fell upon.

"Most of the unit, they think I shoulda just let you die." Lundgren said lightly, bracing his arm against the wall and leaning over Mike, relishing the horror on his face, as he struggled to reconcile himself to the fact he was so broken. "Hell, I could smother you with a pillow right now, and no one would have to know." He murmured quietly, leering down at Mike smugly.

" _Try it_ , G.I. Schmoe." Mike griwled, his fury at Lundgren over-riding his shock. "My legs might be gone, but I can still  _bite."_  He snarled ferociously, scowling at Lundgren in hatred and disgust.

 _"See,_  Darwin?  _That's_  what I'm talking about!" Lundgren leered, pushing off the wall and jabbing a finger at Mike as he grinned in vicious glee. "You're as tough as they come... It'd be a waste, just to put you down." He said, as he walked across the room to a strange piece of medical equipment, a futuristic helmet, the inside of which was lined with drills.

"What the  _hell_  is that?" Mike demanded, glaring at the device, as his insides turned cold with fear.

"This?" Lundgren asked, smirking as he waved the device at Mike gently.  _"This,_  my friend, is the future." He breathed, as he slowly stalked around the room. "My unit...  _Arachnid Unit_... is going to be the greatest fighting force on the planet." He explained, eyeing the device fondly, as his expression morphed into a glowering scowl. "A mercenary army, that would make global superpowers, tremble in fear."

"You're a  _lunatic."_  Mike choked , his eyes widening in disbelief, the sensations all wrong on one side of his face.

"What, did you think this was all about lining my pockets?" Lundgren snorted, sneering over at him derisively. "Think  _bigger._  I'm about to change the face of warfare..." He said, smirking at the bed ridden Mike maliciously. "Starting with  _yours."_  He said darkly, prowling back to the bed, carrying the ominous helmet. "But, after this, you might need a new callsign." He drawled thoughtfully, as Mike writhed in the bed, his heart racing in fear as he realised the mans intention.

 _"Wait..."_  Mike pleaded, his eyes filling with fear as they locked onto the approaching device. "Lundgren,  _listen..."_  He begged, trying in vain to move his broken body away from the commander looming over him.  _"Please..."_

"Buck up, little mouse." Lundgren sneered, pushing the helmet closer, as the gleaming drills began to spin. "You're about to change history." He said smugly, a slow and malicious grin spreading across his face, as Mike began to scream.

**Present day, In the tree village of Elyys'tel...**

A small child sprinted over bridges as fast as he could, clutching a towering stack of crispy cakes to his chest. "They're  _mine!_  The cakes are all mine!" Taari sang in glee, laughing to himself joyfully. "The cakes are all m-" Before he could finish, he rounded a corner and collided with Seraxa. He fell on to his butt, and the cakes scattered everywhere.

"Oh, I'm  _dying_  to hear you explain this..." Seraxa growled, folding her arms over her chest as she scowled down at the child with a raised brow.

"I... took the cakes, because..." Taari hedged, his eyes wide as he reluctantly confessed to his actions. "If I did... then, I would have cakes..?"

"Uh huh." Seraxa sneered, sighing as she rolled her eyes and gestured to the scattered cakes. "Pick them up, and bring them back to the baker. Now." She orders firmly, her lips twitching with amusement as the child sighed dejectedly.

 _"Awww..."_  Taari whined, as he pushed to his knees and began to collect the cakes into his arms, as Seraxa gently ruffled his hair. "Seraxa..." Taari said slowly, falling still at her feet, the cakes forgotten.

"Yes?" The war chief asked curiously, raising a brow as the child began to fidget awkwardly.

"... I miss the Cat-a-lissus..." Taari confessed, looking up at Seraxa with a sad frown, as the war chief looked to the north; a distant, longing look in her eyes.

"... Me too." She said quietly, looking back down to him with a small smile and gesturing to the spilt cakes once more.

 **Meanwhile, in a bunker, somewhere on the island**...

Lundgren, Tetra, Fiddler and Mike sat around a table, playing cards. "Hey, boss-man." Fiddler said suddenly, laying a card on the discard pile, and drawing a new one from the deck. "Let ne ask you a question..."

"Shoot." Lundgren said, rearranging the cards in his hand thoughtfully, never so much as glancing at the katana wielding woman.

"You really trust this Rourke guy?" She asked curiously, leaning forward on her elbows as she peered at Lundgren through her reflective sunglasses. "You sure he won't just sell us out?"

"My dad always told me," Tetra said loudly, slapping his own discarded cards to the pile, and causing the table to shudder beneath his mechanical hands. "Never trust a man in a nice suit."

"Your dad was a bum, who drove drunk off a pier, Tetra." Lundgren sneered, glaring at his subordinate in irritation. "So he's the last asshole I'd listen to."

"... Oh." Tetra hummed, his face falling and his shoulders slumping as he hung his head, staring at his cards vacantly.

"Look." Lundgren sighed, shaking his head as he looked around his team. "I've been around the block long enough, to know that sharks like Rourke, are about as loyal as you can throw them." He explained, tossing two cards, and drawing two fresh ones, shuffling them thoughtfully into his hand. "Do I trust him? No. Do I think he'll try to pull something on us? Probably." He said, his grip on his cards tightening, as his face hardened into a scowl. "But right now, we're stuck on his island. That means we gotta play his game." He growled, his eyes narrowing maliciously. "Don't you worry, though. I've got my eye on him. He tries anything... and that nice suit's all that'll be left of him."

"Hell yeah!" Tetra cheered, his melancholy forgotten, beneath the alluring thought of violence and mayhem.

"We'll burn that bridge when we get there." Lundgren said calmly, glancing over at Tetra in warning. "Right now, focus up. Do your jobs. We got ourselves a Wolf to hunt, ain't that right?" He asked, his lips curling into a malicious and gleeful grin.

"Woo woo!" Tetra cheered eagerly, a huge, maniacal grin plastered to his face at the thought of finally destroying his predecessor.

"You'd better believe it." Fiddler cheered gleefully, licking her lips at the thought of seeing Jake writhe.

Mike alone remained silent, his face void of emotion, as his mind flickered with vague memories. Wolf was someone important, Wolf was not someone he wished to hunt, Wolf was someone he yearned to find; to protect. Mike was so lost in his musings, the vague feelings and memories shimmering just out of his reach, he didn't notice the other three turn to stare at him.

"I said..." Lundgren sneered, scowling down the table at Mike, locking gaze with his mechanical eye. " _Ain't that right_?" He asked firmly, his tone sharp, as he glared meaningfully at Mike.

Mike's expression remained blank, as he frantically tried to grasp hold of something; anything he could remember, to find himself in the sea of vague memories hidden beneath his programming. "... Yes." He replied emotionlessly, as his mind fell back into empty obedience, his past slipping away from his grasp and fading to blankness once more. "That's right."

"Good." Lundgren sneered, grinning as he puffed at his cigar and laid down a winning hand. "Now, someone go get me another beer."

 **Back at the Volcano Observatory**...

Everett Rourke stood by a sophisticated machine, staring at the readings in disbelief. Inside, a laser scanned the Islands Heart with a low drone. "My god, Iris..." Rourke breathed, staring at the information appearing on the screen in awe. "It's  _incredible._  I've never seen anything like it." He muttered, his eyes darting to the crystal itself quickly, before looking back at the rapidly appearing intel. "The energy levels on this... the sheer power..!"

"It's truly impressive, sir." Iris replied emotionlessly, her hologram hovering stoically at the far side of the room.

"All this time... I thought I needed The Endless... but this crystal might just be enough." He said, shaking his head in awe, as he tapped eagerly at a keypad. "Do you realize what this means, Iris? The  _Janus Project_... can begin at last!" He said gleefully, chuckling to himself, as his eyes lit with manic excitement.

"... Yes." Iris said, a flicker of sadness passing through her empty gaze, before it quickly disappeared into her emotionless stare. "It can."

 **On a remote mountain pass**...

A man walked to the edge of a cliff and gazed out, seeing a tendril of black smoke, reaching into the sky.

"Hmmm." He hummed, staring at it through a pair of binoculars for a minute, before turning and quickly vanishing back down the mountainside.


	19. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh... technocally i should have had this ready last noght. I was weak. I slept.  
> And... sadly... i have been given my marching orders for this week, so i actually have to go to work and stuff... but, im still planning to blow off as much time as possible for writing... ;)
> 
> Anyway; here we go. The finale of book 2! I hope you have enjoyed; it has been a marathon journey and a whale of a ride and... i could not have done it without you guys. You are all just... there arent words. I love you. Youre amazing.
> 
> I hope to have the first chapter of book three ready soon as i can... should be called "Only Love Survives" unless i have a sudden change of heart... 
> 
> x My love to you all x

_**Dear Jake;** _

_All the times I've lived through this goddamn cycle of events, all the times I've seen you all die... All the times I've loved you..._

_All of it; because of him._

_I understand, in a way... I mean, how can I not, really? But, that doesn't mean it was any easier to hear. I... I just... I wish, so much, that I could be like him. That I could lie without a care, that I could just... never feel regret, or guilt, or shame._

_But then, it's those feelings that make us human... So maybe... that's why I cling to them so tightly._

**19.**

**Epilogue**.

The first thing Taylor sensed, was warm lips pressed against his own. His lungs inflated, and with them; his heart fluttered weakly.

"Come back to me..." A voice whispered urgently, calling to him through the foggy blackness clouding his awareness.  _Jake..?_  The thought rolled through his mind groggily, a dull echo rebounding back to him, accompanied by the tickle of pain. "There you are..." The voice whispered in relief, as Taylor grimaced.

 _"Nnh?"_  He groaned, his eyes fluttering open, only for brilliant sunlight to blind him.  _Jake..?_  He thought tiredly, his hand rising weakly to blot the bright sun from his eyes.

"That's it... Up you go." The voice encouraged, as Taylor blinked blearily, trying to focus his blurry vision through the bright haze.

"Where..?" He began in a hoarse croak, only to break off suddenly. He rolled to his side as he was overwhelmed by a severe coughing fit; choking and hacking up the water filling his lungs. " _Hck! Hckk!"_  He coughed, as it splattered out onto a wooden beam. As he sucked in huge gulps of air, he finally noticed the floor moving beneath him. "A... boat?" He croaked, as he blinked in surprise. His vision cleared slowly, as oxygen finally helped clear the haziness from his mind, and he was startled to find himself on a small trimaran, rocking in gentle Caribbean waves. "How did I-" he gasped, whipping round to see the owner of the voice.

 _"Oui, c'est moi._ " Yvonne laughed, squinting one eye as she grinned at him cockily. "You may call me 'guardian angel' if you wish." She teased, as she ran her eyes over him in concern.

"Yvonne..." Taylor gasped, his eyes wide as he stared at the pirate and slowly shook his head. "You saved my life." He said, flushing as he touched his fingers to his mouth, recalling the feel of foreign lips against his own. "Also, you, uh... gave me mouth to mouth?" He asked, feeling his cheeks burn, as the pirate laughed at him heartily.

"Do not be so prudish." She snorted, grinning as she waggled her eyebrows at him suggestively. "When I kiss you, you'll know it." She said, winking to emphasize her point.

"Please don't..." Taylor muttered distractedly as he looked around slowly, still dazed. In the distance to the north, a column of smoke rose from the  **MASADA**  Complex. " _Oh my god._.." He whispered, his heart aching painfully at the sight.

"You were out for a couple hours, after I dragged you from the depths." Yvonne said, eyeing him carefully, as his emotions flickered wildly through his eyes. "Do you remember anything?"

"I fell..." Taylor whispered, turning to look up at the sky brokenly, his mind swimming with memories to fast for him to connect with; other than the overwhelming sense of loss which filled his aching heart.

"Indeed." Yvonne confirmed, tipping her head in amusement. "Very far, very fast, and  _very_  ungracefully." She said, sniggering at the memory, though she quickly sobered, as she considered the potential change of outcome.

"How'd you know to be there?" Taylor asked, turning towards her with a a knowing frown. "It  _can't_  have been luck." He said, before she could even think to say it.

"I was dispatched to your aide, by your red clad friend." Yvonne said, as Taylor flinched sharply, shaking his head as his eyes widened.

"Who?" He choked, his mind racing with images of a figure, clad in a red spacesuit.  _The Endless?! Why._.? He wondered briefly, his head prickling with pain, until he turned his attention back to the pirate opposite him.

"I could not say." Yvonne said, shrugging her shoulders and spreading her palms, before winking at him coyly. "But you have  _someone_  looking out for you." She said, as she began to steer the boat back towards the island. Taylor looked around as she sailed them into ever shallowdr waters, and suddenly realised how warm it was.

"Hold on," he gasped, his eyes flitting to Yvonne accusingly. "We're back on the tropical part of the island?!" He choked, panic surging through him, trying to claw its way up his throat as he looked around desperately. "Where are you heading? We need to find the others! They could be hurt!" He ranted, his hands raising to his hair as he searched the skies in vain, already fully aware he wouldn't be able to see anything.

" _Mais oui."_  Yvonne agreed gently, moving to rest her hand on his shoulder. "They could be, but La Mer will guide them where they need to go."

"La Mer can suck my..." Taylor fumed, roughly jerking his shoulder free of her touch, as he scowled at her. "... eggs..." He finished lamely, coughing to hide his quick change of word choice. His glared at the pirate, willing her to understand his desperation. "I need to find them, Yvonne..!" He growled, before his fury buckled, leaving a broken hearted shell in its place.  _"Please,_  I need to find them... I need to find, Jake..." He half sobbed, his mind recalling the final torturous image of his pilot he'd seen, screaming for him as he fell. "I need to find, Quinn..." He choked, refusing to allow himself to think of the redhead as anything but alive. "I need to find, Diego..." He croaked, his eyes welling with bitter tears, as he thought of his best friend; running for his life with Varyyn, Michelle and Raj. "Please, Yvonne. _I need them..._ "

"... As you said, you owe me your life." Yvonne said hesitantly, clearly moved by his pleas, but determinedly set on her own path. "I gave you help, and now, I am in need of yours." She said firmly.

Taylor sighed, staring down at his reflection in the water in resignation, watching the image of himself distort among the rippling waves; an accurate depiction, of his turbulent emotions. "So, where are you taking me then?" He asked lowly, as Yvonne beached her boat on the shore, and alighted onto the warm sand.

The pirate drew her cutlass and Taylor reluctantly followed her aim, as she pointed up, at the smoking peak of Mount Atropo. "...  _There."_  She said, offering her hand to help him from the boat. He grimaced, and pushed to his feet, pointedly ignoring her hand as his heart ached, yearning for his friends and loved ones. Yvonne sighed, and tipped her head for him to walk with her.

Taylor followed a step behind, his dejected gaze locked onto her boots, stubbornly refusing to engage with her, as he worried about his friends.  _Did Zahra get away from Lundgren?_  He wondered, biting his lip as he remembered her fall, and the splash as she hit the water.  _What if she_ \- he shook his head, refusing to let himself finish the thought.  _That girl's tougher than old leather... She's fine, she'll find us._  He thought firmly, his worried mind turning to Quinn, and the sudden disconnection of power he'd felt _. Whatever was inhabiting her, Vaanu, whatever... It wouldn't have let her_ \- he thought, swallowing heavily as he shook his head, angrily scrubbing away tears and assuring himself again;  _she's fine._

He followed Yvonne's boots, as she led him around trees, rocks and over a small river; and all the while, he considered his friends, and the uncertainty of their fates.  _This is so unfair... Why can't I just know_? He demanded of himself hotly, his hands balling into fists, as he considered the futility of having the memories of his alternate life, while being unable to efficiently use them to help or save those he loved.

 _Jake..._  He thought finally, his heart throbbing painfully in his chest.  _Where are you..? Please, be okay... Be safe, with the others..._  He silently pleaded, sighing heavily as he continue to follow Yvonne on the long hike through the jungle. When they finally emerged from the dense jungle at the foot of the volcano, Taylor glanced up and immediately felt himself pale, his breath quickening in panic, as his worst nightmare overlapped with the vision before him.

"This is it." Yvonne said cheerfully, gesturing ahead to the colossal stone temple, carved into the volcanic base; which Taylor recognised, only too well.  _"C'est_   _impressionnant, non_?" She asked, as Taylor gasped behind her.

"Whoa..." He choked, overcome with the sense of horror and loss he'd felt in the vision he'd been forced to witness, when he'd touched the idol of the chained person, from Cetus's head. "I've seen it before. This is... The Threshold..."

"Indeed..." Yvonne said slowly, blinking in surprise. "You know of this pl-"

"Yvonne, I can't go in there..." Taylor said, shaking his head as he stumbled back a step, terror curling in his gut as he recalled the eleven mounds of dirt; eleven graves he'd dug for his friends.

"I'm sorry, Taylor." Yvonne said quietly, quickly reaching forward and snagging his wrist, half dragging him closer to the cave mouth. "But you  _must."_

"What is this even the threshold of?" He asked, trying desperately to distract his mind, as he tried to claw the pirates fingers from his wrist.

Yvonne threw a wink over her shoulder at him, grinning as she chuckled dryly. "We shall find out together,  _Mon Ami_." She said, drawing a compass from her pocket and glancing at it briefly, before clasping it shut once more. With a start, Taylor recognised it as the one he'd seen her take from the chest in the Jeweled Cave.

Taylors heart ached at the memory of the beautiful place, and his time there with his pilot, and he closed his eyes as he took a deep breath to steady himself. "That compass... Is that how you found this place?" He asked, blindly stumbling after the pirate, as he tried to free himself from her grasp.

"A keen eye, you have." Yvonne noted, clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth thoughtfully. "Indeed, it is. In a manner of speaking, I  _died_  to steal it..." She said, as Taylor opened his eyes and raised a brow at her, quite certain she was neither dead nor undead. "Malatesta made me walk the plank for my thievery, though I still hold that it is  _he_  who stole it from  _me."_  She explained, shaking her head as her lip curled in disgust. "But, when I came here, I encountered that red clad demon. It told me I needed your help."

 _"My_  help?" Taylor asked suspiciously, forgetting his attempts to free himself, as he frowned at the pirate.

"You and your  _compagnons."_  Yvonne grinned brightly, winking at him conspiratorially. "But, as you may be the last surviving one... I must settle for you." She said, heaving a long suffering sigh, before chuckling in amusement.

Taylor felt a surge of denial and fury, and he wrenched him arm free in a vicious motion which almost pulled the pirate off her feet. "I am  _not_  the last surviving one! They're  _alive!"_  He roared, scowling at her furiously, as she blinked in surprise. "I... I..." He choked, as his fury melted into uncertainty and fear, his heart aching with the deep sense of loss he felt, at being separated from his friends; his family. "I can't be..." He whispered, looking up at Yvonne pleadingly. "They  _have_  to be..!"

Yvonne watched him cautiously, before nodding slowly. "As you say,  _Ami..."_  She said, sweeping her hand towards the entrance to The Threshold expectantly. Taylor hesitated, glaring at her balefully, before dropping his eyes to the floor and closing the distance between them, allowing the pirate to lead him into the dark mouth of the temple.

They moved in silence for a time, awkward and tense at the memory of Taylors emotional outburst. "It's pitch black in here..." Taylor finally mumbled, after stubbing his toe for the fourth time.

"Never fear," Yvonne chuckled, her small hand swatting him on the ass on encouragement, making him yelp and crash into a wall in surprise. "There is the proverbial light, at the end of this tunnel." She said, as Taylor rubbed at his arm, scowling into the darkness blindly. "Make sure to stay close to me,  _Mon amour_." Yvonne said lightly, her warm body drifting closer to his own, as she curled her hand around his own. "It is easy to get lost in these tunnels. You could wind up wandering down here forever..." She warned earnestly, as the world gradually began to take shape around them, light trickling down from deep within the volcano.

As soon as he could even vaguely see, Taylor yanked his hand free of the pirates, scowling at her as he folded his arms over his chest. Yvonne rolled her eyes, muttering about prudes, as they continued making their way through the tunnels; until at last, they found themselves in a large ceremonial chamber, lined with lava spouts. A hunched figure, waiting in the center, startled at their arrival. "It appears we have an intruder." Yvonne snarled, drawing her cutlass and brandishing it threateningly. "Surrender,  _fiend!"_

"I... I mean you no h-" Uqzhaal began nervously, before choking off abruptly, his eyes widening in surprise as he recognised them.  _"Taylor!_  Blessings of Vaanu, it  _is_  you!" The old shaman cried, hobbling forwards and embracing him.

Taylor felt a distinct unease settle in his gut, the shaman's presence filling him with a deep sense of foreboding. Nevertheless, he couldn't deny his relief, at seeing a friendly face. "Good to see you, Uqzhaal." He said, smiling warmly, as he clapped the shaman gently on the shoulder.

"You are  _friends?"_  Yvonne gasped in disbelief, her eyes wide as she peered between them in shock. "After these people imprisoned you for life?"

"You could say, we ended up having some common interests..." Taylor said awkwardly, pushing his bag behind him slightly as he glanced at the Vaanti shaman.

"Taylor is being modest, he saved the lives of many of our people." Uqzhaal explained, smiling broadly as Taylor flushed with embarrassment and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "He is truly, the bravest soul-"

 _"Ahem,_  Uqzhaal!" Taylor said loudly, cutting off the shaman's enthusiastic praise. "This is Yvonne! She's how we escaped Sharktooth Isle." He explained, as Uqzhaal nodded in realisation.

"Ah, the boat thief." He said thoughtfully, offering the pirate a small and slightly mocking bow. "A pleasure to meet you."

" _Pardonnez-moi,_ " Yvonne growled, huffing as she brushed imaginary dirt from her jacket. "But I steal  _much_  more than just boats." She sneered, glaring at the old man as shebsnorted at him derisively.

"Of course." Uqzhaal said flatly, his disinterest clear, as he focused his concerned gaze upon Taylor. "But, Taylor, I had heard such terrible news; of foreign warriors, coming to slay you." He said worriedly, his concern only growing, as Taylor noticeably flinched. "Some of our scouts returned from the battle at the chasm, and feared you dead!"

"It was pretty close a few times..." Taylor said quietly, his eyes watering as his fear for the others nipped at his heart once more. To distract himself, he recalled the entire journey for the shaman, filling him in on everything they transpired. Finally, he shook his head, hanging his head in shame. "I'm so sorry, Uqzhaal... Rourke, he... He has the Heart."

Uqzhaal's brow creased, and he turned away, staring into the lava's glow. "This is most terrible..." Uqzhaal murmured quietly, shaking his head as Taylor bit his lip guiltily. "The Hydra, with so much power..." He said, sighing as he straightened with sudden resolve. "We must ask The Endless what to do."

 _"Psh,_  lotta good that'll do you..." Taylor snorted, though he merely shook his head when Uqzhaal looked back at him uncertainly, smiling innocently at the shaman.

"I do not know half the things of which you speak, and I care for even less." Yvonne growled, eyeing the shaman distrustfully. "But, if we are all here to see the same person, then we can work together,  _non?"_

"So, how  _exactly_  do you gain an audience with the holy one, Uqzhaal?" Taylor huffed, rolling his eyes as he folded his arms over his chest.

"The Catalyst Idols, were the keys which The Endless bestowed unto us." Uqzhaal explained, gesturing to the twelve pedestals surrounding the bridge of stone, as Taylors blood ran cold suddenly. "When we could unite all twelve, that meant we as a people, were ready to learn its secrets." He said, closing his eyes briefly and lowering his head in shame. "But, our people were not worthy. We lost the Idols in the Three Tribes War... This, is why I sought them."

 _Oh joy, I've been collecting the keys which let me talk to the universes biggest asshole... Second only to Rourke_... Taylor thought, barely managing to resist a snort of derision, as his eyes narrowed thoughtfully.  _I knew they were important, but there must have been a reason I didn't want Uqzhaal to know I had any of them._.. He thought, biting his lip nervously.

"This, is why I sought the Catalysts." Uqzhaal continued, oblivious to Taylors troubled thoughts. "Each of you, has a special connection to your idol... I needed your help to commune with The Endless, and learn the truth behind stopping Raan'losti." The shaman explained, shaking his head slowly, as he swallowed thickly. "But, if what you say is true, and Raan'losti has already come... I know not what we can do!"

"We could go find the others..?" Taylor asked hopefully, although his concern for his friends was dulled, as he considered the chance to ask The Endless in person about their time warping abilities. "Okay," he sighed reluctantly, pretending not to notice Yvonne and Uqzhaal scowling at him. "So, we put all twelve Catalyst Idols on these pedestals, and then we get to learn the truth behind The Endless..?" He asked, his eyes flicking to where the boiling lava poured across the pathway. He felt a shiver travel down his spine, as he recalled the strangely sentient lava at the observatory, and the awful burn he'd suffered there. "And its beyond this lava boat here?" He clarified, ribbing at his back unconsciously.

"So claim the legends..." Uqzhaal confirmed, looking up at Taylor hopefully. "Did you manage to find the Catalyst Idols on your journey?" He asked, his crimson eyes blazing with desperation.

Taylor hesitated, swallowing heavily, as he sensed a great hollowness forming in his gut.  _On the one hand, I may need his help... But on the other_... He thought, biting his lip as Uqzhaal's expression slowly molded into a frown.  _On the other, I think whatever The Endless has to say... Uqzhaal is going to severely dislike it_. Taylor paused only a second longer, before he nodded hesitantly. "Every last one..." He admitted reluctantly, his gut immediately twisting in regret.

 _"Incredible!"_  Uqzhaal gasped, his jaw dropping in awe, as Taylor fought against the additional emotion which flooded through him. He looked away from the old man, overwhelmed suddenly by the irrational urge to cry, feeling like he'd just lost yet another friend.

"You did?!" Yvonne asked, before breaking out in a huge grin, her eyes running over him expectantly. "Oh, you are truly incomparable,  _Mon amour_!" She cried, grabbing his face and smooching both his cheeks.

"Hey,  _hey!"_  He protested, grimacing and attempting to squirm free of her iron grasp. Yvonne chuckled, as she finally withdrew, ignoring Taylors scowl as he scrubbed at his cheeks. "So," he asked, sighing as he turned back to Uqzhaal, a strange hollowness in his heart where warmth had been only moments before. "Where do I put them? In what order?"

Uqzhaal merely shrugged in reply, spreading his palms atop his cane. Taylor rolled his eyes and sighed, moving to the pedestals and examining them briefly. When he saw no hints or symbols anywhere, he drew the idols from his bag, and placed them randomly on the pedestals. The moment he set the final idol into place, the chamber rumbled, and the rings around the pedestals sides, began to rotate to new positions.

"The gears are turning!" Uqzhaal cheered, his face lit with childlike glee, as they took a step closer to their audience with The Endless.

"I can't believe it worked in a random order!" Taylor hummed, rubbing the back of his neck as he stared at the idols with wide eyes. "I thought it'd be some crazy, complicated..." As the musing words left his mouth, one of the walls slid aside, revealing a huge painting full of symbols. 'Ah, yeah, there we go..." He said, nodding his head and pointing at the symbols expectantly. "I was waiting for this part..." He said, stepping closer to examine the vaguely familiar pictures, with symbols beneath them.

"Oh, and  _look!"_  Yvonne gasped, drawing his attention away from the wall, as the pirate pointed above their heads. "Above us!" He followed her finger, to see a circle in the ceiling, opening up to reveal a second painting of symbols. "What are we supposed to do with these?!" Yvonne demanded, as Taylor stared up at the symbols above them, swallowing heavily; as they filled him with dread.

"It's some kind of puzzle." He hummed vaguely, shivering as he looked away from the ceiling, the symbols seeming to morph and shimmer before his eyes.

"A trial of The Endless, to prove our worth!" Uqzhaal cheered ecstatically, thrilled by the prospect of finally closing the distance between himself and The Endless; of finally learning the truth. "We shall solve it in no time at all!" The shaman said confidently, as Taylor glanced at him, uncertain if he should solve it at all with the shaman present. "But,  _ahem..._  You, may want to write some of this down..."

Taylor snorted, remembering Aleister and Estela fondly, back when they'd said the same thing, as he'd attempted to solve Rourke's password. He shook his head as he approached the wall, looking at the small pictures and symbols with a sinking sensation in his gut. "It appears," Yvonne said, causing him to yelp as she snuck up behind him. "That some of the runes on the wall, are the same as the ones on the ceiling..."

"If we figure these symbols out, then we can figure out the password..." Taylor said, sighing as he shook his head at her. He looked back at the wall, the symbols seeming to flicker beneath his gaze, until he felt dizzy; and finally averted his eyes. He looked at the idols, and crouched beside Jake's howling werewolf, his heart aching as he thought of his lost pilot and where he might be. He swallowed thickly, raising his hand to touch the idol, before hesitating, his heart hammering with fear. He slowly lowered his hand to his lap, unwilling to risk seeing what was locked within again. "What are these runes, anyway?" He choked, pushing to his feet and wiping his eyes roughly, glancing at Uqzhaal's curious expression. "An ancient alphabet?"

"Perhaps early Vaanti..." Uqzhaal mused, shaking his head slowly, as Taylor tried to trample his grief and heartache. "Or perhaps, something pre-dating us all." He added thoughtfully, as Taylor took a deep breath and carefully re-boxed his emotions.

He looked at the ceiling, the symbols etched into four clear groups.  _A four word password_... He thought, clicking his tongue against his cheek and wrinkling his nose as he looked away, debating his options.

"It's clear the runes are spelling out words." Uqzhaal said, unknowingly voicing Taylors own thoughts. "The question is, what words?"

 _No, the question is do I solve it, or not_? Taylor thought, biting his lip as he looked around once more.

"If this trial was created by The Endless..." Uqzhaal muttered to himself, as Taylor glanced over indecisively. "Perhaps the names, are the ones taught to us by The Endless itself..."

Taylor frowned, looking back at the wall, drawn to the skull and handcuffs as something in the shaman's words tickled at the back of his mind.  _Lupus..._  He read, the symbols shimmering and morphing before his eyes. His heart clenched, and he swallowed back a choke, his fingers half raising to the word, as he recalled the idols vision; Jake chained and kept as a prisoner.  _Oh, Jake_... He thought, a thick lump forming in his throat, as he turned away, his eyes stinging as he slammed them closed.  _The only way to find him, and everyone, is to get out of this stupid guessing game_. He thought, gritting his teeth together as he hardened his aching heart, his eyes opening as he turned around and walked to the end of the path. "I know the solution." He said firmly, glaring into the darkness ahead.

"You do?" Yvonne gasped, choking in surprise. She flapped her arms at him, urging him to hurry. "Well, spit it out!"

"... Uqzhaal?" Taylor said hesitantly, his shoulders stiff as he addressed the shaman. "I... I just wanted you to know... I always, I..." He swallowed thickly, the words clogging in his throat.

"Yes, Catalyst?" The shaman asked, curiosity and confusion in his voice, as Taylor huffed and scrubbed his eyes, unable to give voice to his feelings.

"... Nothing." Taylor said quietly, shaking his head softly. "Sorry... Just..." He swallowed heavily, and took a deep breath, before finally giving in to the inevitable. "Four words..." He whispered, his heart clenching as he thought of his friends, their idol visions, and wished them all safe. " _Save them from themselves_." The moment he muttered the painful phrase, the whole room rumbled, and the idols began to glow.

"What... what is happening?" Uqzhaal called loudly, looking around nervously as Taylor sighed dejectedly.

"The beginning of the end..." He said quietly, too low for the shaman to hear him under the loud rumbling of the room. He watched in faint interest, as each idol glowed bright, a hot white light at its centre; and then, all at once, they dissolved into amber and leaked away down the sides. Taylors stomach turned violently, his heart clenching, as he saw that left in the basin of each pedestal where an idol had been; was a small red stain.

"Is that  _blood?!"_  Yvonne demanded, scowling at the remains of the idols in disgust. "What fresh  _hell_  is this?!"

Taylor shuddered, nausea churning in his gut, when he was startled by water shooting out if a series of spouts suddenly. It impacted the lava with a steamy blast, and Taylor turned to see the lava and water meet with a fierce hiss.

" _Mon dieu!_ " Yvonne cheered, strolling over to clasp Taylors shoulder proudly. "It worked! You  _solved_  it!" She cheered, frowning when she caught sight of his twisted expression.

"Yeah. I did." He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he tried to settle his sense of guilt and loss; telling himself firmly that it was the fastest way for him to be able to begin searching for his missing loved ones.

"It is finally happening..." Uqzhaal said slowly, his voice filled with awe, as he hobbled forward. "After so many generations of waiting..." He said, the longing he felt plain to see on his wrinkled face, as Taylor glanced over at him briefly.

He turned away as guilt swirled in his gut, watching the water cool the bubbling lava, instantly evaporating and filling the room with hot stinging steam. He closed his eyes, until finally the sound of hissing began to fade, and he looked back to see the lava had cooled and solidified, the steam slowly clearing. He took a deep breath, and delicately tested the cooled lava with one foot, and when it proved strong enough, the other. "It's safe." He sighed, glancing back reluctantly. "We can cross."

"The path..." Uqzhaal gasped in awe, slowly hobbling after Taylor, as he led the way forward. "Is opened." He whispered reverently, as together, they ventured forth into the darkness beyond.

"After all that..." Yvonne sighed dejectedly, her voice filling with frustration. "More tunnels." She groaned, as Uqzhaal tapped his cane on the floor suddenly.

 _"Hush!"_  He ordered, drawing them to a halt in the dark passage. "There is someone ahead..." He said quietly, his voice trembling in his excitement.

"What are you talking about?" Taylor asked, looking around with a frown. "I don't see any-" his voice stuck in his throat, as he finally saw it. Black against black, a figure of shadow, a short ways ahead of them. His heart fluttered, and he was consumed by dread, and the stirring's of fury.

"Show yourself, coward!" Yvonne called as she spotted the figure, the sound of her drawing her cutlass, ringing through the air around them.

A ball of flame appeared in the dark, illuminating the walls, and the flickering glow was reflected, in a black helmet visor. Taylor felt his heart stutter, his head prickling with pain, like needles poking at him in rapid succession. "I've waited... a  _very_  long time for this meeting." A mechanical voice rang through the chamber, as Uqzhaal moved to throw himself on the ground in supplication, only for Taylor to prevent him; grabbing his shoulders and forcing the old man to remain upright.

"Trust me when I say, that  _thing_  doesn't deserve it." He snarled, his mind racing, as dreams and visions he'd forgotten, flooded his mind. "You  _bastard..."_  He whispered viciously, as The Endless chuckled, the mechanical sound vibrating strangely around them.

"It's good to finally meet you in the real world, Taylor." The Endless said, as Taylor snorted derisively and scowled at them.

"Wish I could say the same." He spat, shaking his head in disgust. "You  _stole_  my memories! I almost  _died!_  I almost-" he swallowed heavily, choking back his irritation, as he recalled some of his more rash decisions, shuddering at the thought that he could have been about to die for the final time; and had never known it.

"You were not ready to remember," The Endless began, and Taylor looked over sharply, realisation blossoming in his mind. "You needed time to learn, and to grow... To find the truth for yourself."

Taylor shook his head with a snort, glaring at the figure in the red spacesuit. "I grew alright,  _pissed off."_  He muttered, running a hand through his hair in irritation.

"Endless One..." Uqzhaal said, cutting off any further bickering from Taylor. "Please, your faithful servants seek your help!" He pleaded, as Taylor snorted and folded his arms over his chest. "Let us commune with you at last-"

"They always say 'at last', as if they are the first..." The Endless mused, their amusement clear, even through their mechanical voice. "They are never the first. All that matters, is that they are the  _last."_

Taylor rolled his eyes, stepping forward and swallowing down his irritation as he jabbed a finger at The Endless accusingly. "Who the hell  _are_  you? What do you want with us, or with the Vaanti?" He demanded, scowling at his own reflection, in the visor of the red spacesuit's helmet. "And what the  _hell_  did you do to me?!"

"Having made it this far, you must already realise what is at stake..." The Endless began cryptically, as Taylor growled in frustration.

"Yeah, and don't think I didn't notice the bullshit evasion there." He sneered, rolling his eyes as he eyed The Endless in irritation. "The world is gone.  _Destroyed._  We thought we could stop it, but it's already gone." He said in clipped bursts, his eyes narrowing in thought suddenly. "You seem to have control of time...  _How?"_  He demanded, his heart lurching with hope at the chance to finally learn how to control his abilities.

"Time is inevitability." The Endless replied, their mechanical voice twisted by a grief so profound, Taylor almost felt his temper slip into compassion. "I know no inevitability. I will be here, until this spinning rock and the sun that light it, are as cold as the void." The Endless said, fanning Taylors temper as they avoided his questions. "It is no longer a matter of what I can do-"

"I've had it with your games!" Taylor spat, his temper raging as his fear and fury collided, erupting within him as Mount Atropo had upon the world. "Tell me  _now!_  What the hell is the meaning of all this?!" He demanded, striding forward to shove The Endless's shoulder roughly. "What the hell are the idols?! And how,  _how,_  do I stop those awful futures from happening to my friends?"

"Futures?" The Endless asked, their helmet tipping in a curious tilt. "The idols do not show future..."

Taylor choked, stepping back as he was overwhelmed by grief and horror. He closed his eyes, recalling The Endless's hesitance over his questions about the idols at the reset. "You  _bastard..."_  He cursed quietly, his hands curling into fists. "You encouraged me to think they were the future... To think that I could stop them. You left behind thst sense, that..." He trailed off, already anticipating what The Endless would say.

"You needed to have that hope." The Endless replied, the ball of flame on their mechanical hand flickering briefly. "You-"

 _"You manipulative bastard_." Taylor scoffed softly, shaking his head as he remembered all the visions he'd seen. "I watched them  _all_  die... My  _friends... Jake..."_  He choked, his heart crushing beneath the weight of his grief. "You  _made_  me watch them all  _die..."_  He said, gritting his teeth. He swallowed heavily, sucking in a deep breath to try and stabilize his overwrought body. "And  _you,_  you've seen all this already... You've watched that happen-"

"Yes." The Endless responded, their mechanical voice crackling with static, their own grief impossible to miss. "Again... and again... and again." They said, nodding their head slowly. "And every time... I was there." They confirmed solemnly.

Taylor gasped as he felt himself swept away by the pull of a vision. He found himself in Rourke's office, where Zahra's body lay in the floor, opposite the hateful man she'd shot. Only now, he saw The Endless there too, cloaked in shadows, watching silently. He blinked, and found himself back in the tunnels beneath Mount Atropo, gazing at himself in the reflection of The Endless's helmet visor.  _"You..."_  He whispered, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I saw them die." The Endless said slowly, their own helmet turning in a slow parody of Taylors own reaction.  _"So_  many times... I saw them die." Taylor told himself he was imagining it, the tiny hint of sadness he could make out in the mechanical voice, his pain too raw to believe The Endless's grief to be anything but another manipulation.

"But it wasn't enough for  _me_  to see.  _You_  needed to see too." The Endless pressed on, as Taylor grimaced, recalling his dreams and visions since their flight to the island. "That's why I made the idols."

They don't know that I already know about the time loop... Taylor thought with a sudden gasp, which turned to a choked cry of pain, as The Endless swept him away into another vision; returning him to the storage facility, where Jake's cold body lay still on the ground.  _No! You bastard! Let me go! Don't make me see this..!_  He snarled in his head, desperately trying to eject himself from the vision. His breath caught, his struggles ceasing in shock and horror, as The Endless hunkered over Jake, extracting his blood with a long syringe.  _Jake..._  He thought brokenly, his eyes lingering on the pilot's tiny peaceful smile, still frozen on his face.

"You..." Taylor choked, wiping his wet eyes with the back of his hand, as the tunnels reappeared around him.  _"Urgh,_  calling you a bastard is getting so old... It's not  _strong_  enough for the  _disgust_  I feel for you right now..." He sneered, glaring at The Endless hatefully, as nausea swirled in his gut. "You... You put their  _blood_  in the idols. That's why they called to them, to  _us,_  not Uqzhaal's ritual. It was  _you."_

"A piece of your own mortality." The Endless confirmed with a slow nod, remorseless and unrepentant as ever. "It was necessary to forge the psychic link. To let you see the path."

"Urgh..." Taylor groaned, turning away as he shook his head. "I feel sick..." He murmured, closing his eyes and bracing himself against the tunnel wall, as bile crawled up the back of his throat. His heart ached, thinking of his friends, treated so appallingly after their demise.

"This  _cannot_  be true!" Yvonne declared loudly, her eyes wide with disbelief, at the information passed between Taylor and The Endless.

"We don't understand..." Uqzhaal said, frowning between Taylor and The Endless in confusion. "This has happened before? All of this?"

"How many?" Taylor rasped, opening his eyes to stare at the ceiling blankly. He took a deep breath, attempting to wash away his grief and nausea, and preparing himself for more bad news. "How many times have I done this..?  _Seen,_  this..?"

"Two thousand, one hundred and thirty nine times." The Endless said, as Taylors heart stuttered painfully in his chest, his eyes spilling tears over his cheeks in distress. "To be precise."

"You..." Taylor choked, sorrow constricting his throat as he tried to catch his breath between sobs. "... _I hate you_..." He whispered vehemently, too broken for anyone to be able to discern the words in his grief.

"The first time I went back to them, they died before my eyes. So terribly... Some of them, didn't even make it a full day." The Endless explained, shaking their head slowly, their own distress palpable even through their mechanical voice. "I  _knew_  I had to help them. To guide them."

"So you what? Spied on us? Watched us die? Took-" Taylor broke off, his hands balling into fists against the wall as The Endless hesitated briefly, thoughtfully.

"I tried to intervene directly," they said slowly, the fingers if their mechanical hand twitching beneath its ball of flame. "But, I quickly learned that the laws of time can be... unforgiving." They said leadingly, flexing the bionic arm, as Taylor reluctantly looked over at the ragged stump.

"Oh  _god..._  Rourke's museum..." He gagged, recalling the glove Craig had found and insisted he try on. He bit his lip hard, fighting against the disgust and nausea he felt welling within him. "Oh my god...  _So_  gross..." He groaned, as he shook his head and tried to banish the memory from his mind.

"So, I had to be more subtle." The Endless continued, ignoring Taylors dramatic display of distress. "To change as little as possible... To influence, indirectly." They explained, stoic and still, as Taylor hung his head, his thoughts racing like lightning through his mind. "I left clues. Sigils... Symbols... To aide their journey. To keep them alive."

Taylor gasped, recalling his conversation with Raj, back at The Celestial, when his friend had turned to him with a frying pan in his hand. " _I don't know why... but something about that symbol... it really stands out to me."_  He had said.

Taylor shook his head, recalling the symbol on the way, which had hidden the camera that recorded Olivia Montoya's murder. His hand dropped to his pocket, recalling the wolf like symbol he'd found while rock climbing with Jake. "All those symbols we found..." He murmured, looking up at The Endless in realisation. "That was  _you..."_

"Yes. But... it wasn't enough." The Endless said, shifting awkwardly, almost guiltily even; and Taylors heart dropped like a stone in his chest, already anticipating the figures words. "The symbols kept them alive, until they met the Vaanti... but  _that_  meeting,  _always_  ended in death."

Taylor was dragged back to the cliffside outside of Elyys'tel. A group of Vaanti warriors stood holding bloodied swords and axes, and the bodies of all his friends, laid at their feet. He struggled against the vision, which shifted like a slide show, revealing only the final moments after his friends had been slaughtered. Over, and over, and over again. "Stop  _doing_  that!" He roared suddenly, pushing back against The Endless and finally breaking free of the vision, his eyes flooding with tears of fury, as he glared at the being clad in a red spacesuit.

The Endless seemed momentarily surprised by the show of strength, before ignoring his outburst entirely, continuing on as if he'd never interrupted. "The Vaanti were too hostile. Too guarded. Every encounter, saw the group massacred, no matter what they did." The Endless explained, shaking their head slowly. "Changing the group wasn't enough. I had to change the Vaanti. So, I went back. Further, than I'd ever gone. And... I shaped them."

Taylor resisted the flash of light which threatened to steal him into another mission, grinning smugly at The Endless, but his glee overrode his concentration; and while distracted, the vision swept him away. He saw a vision of a beach wt night, where ancient Vaanti; the ancestors of the tribe, huddled in reverent awe. The Endless stood before them, bathed in light, the very vision of a god.  **"They will return to you! The Catalysts! They will stop Raan'losti!"**  The Endless proclaimed, as the Vaanti raised their hands in prayer and acceptance.

"So you..." Taylor said, trying to wrap his mind around the revelation. "You made up the idea of the Catalysts... Just so that, centuries later, the Vaanti would help us?" He clarified, a frown slowly morphing into a scowl. "Their  _entire_  religion... was just a means to an end?" He asked, fury surging within him, at the manipulation of the Vaanti.

"No...  _no!"_  Uqzhaal wailed, and Taylors heart broke, as the shaman seemed to crumble beneath the dark confession. "It cannot be!"

"I did what I had to." The Endless intoned, remorseless, unrepentant and free of any signs of guilt behind their red spacesuit. "To protect them."

" _Mon dieu_..." Yvonne murmured, the pirate even going so far as to shudder at the revelations, the unshakable pirate; truly shaken.

"All this, just to keep us alive..?" Taylor asked brokenly, shaking his head as his fury rose to the surface once more. "Why didn't you just go back and stop us from ever coming here?!" He demanded, his body trembling with the effort to root himself to the ground. "How could you  _manipulate_  the Vaanti like that?! How could you just stand there and  _watch,_  as we died?!"

"My travel is limited to the time bubble surrounding La Huerta." The Endless said, shaking their head sadly. "I can never leave this island."

Taylor flinched, his eyes widening as nausea raged in his stomach, the confession making his head throb with aching pinpricks of pain, as he tried to process what he'd heard. "This is..." He whispered, his hands rising to his head, holding his brow as pain ripped through his mind. "This is too much..." He gasped, as the pain intensified, coursing throughout his body and driving him to lean against the wall, in order to keep himself standing.  _"Ahh!"_  He cried, shaking his head as memories surged like the tidal wave of lava at Hartfeld, threatening to consume him.

"Don't despair." The Endless said, mistaking his mental breakdown for a mere panic attack. "The next stage of our journey, begins here. After two thousand, one hundred and thirty nine loops... The cycle, is  _finally_  broken." The Endless said, the mechanical rasp almost like a sigh of relief.

 _"Rggh..._  What do you mean?" Taylor bit out, as he grit his teeth and tried to stave off the wall of memories attempting to drown him.

"This temple is a test. A test that could only be passed, under certain conditions." The Endless explained, gesturing back to the chamber where the idols had been melted. "All twelve idols,  _united._  All twelve,  _functional."_

"Functional?" Taylor gasped, but even as he said it, he understood. Visions flooded him of previous timelines, previous journeys to the temple.

 _"I don't understand... Why aren't Raj and Michelle's idols lighting up_?" He'd asked, staring at the dark idols, while the other ten glowed with their vibrant internal light.

" _Perhaps it is because they perished, in the sea monsters attack._ " Yvonne had replied, resting her hand on his arm consolingly. " _The idols may only work if they're alive.._."

While he was distracted, memories flitted through the back of his mind; digging eleven graves alone, talking with Iris and researching the time bubble, ending Lundgren's life. Taylor choked, gagging as the memory seemed both revered and reviled in one. He forced himself to resist the wave once more, which retreated slightly, allowing him some room to process that which he'd seen. "So..." He said slowly, drawing in a deep breath to try and push back against his rising hysteria. "This, is the first time..?" He clarified, his heart stuttering in his chest from the great influx of painful memories, barely held at bay by his struggling mind. "The first time, I've made it this far... with everyone still alive? They...  _They're all alive_..?" He breathed in sudden realisation, a small flame of hope blazing to life in his heart, as he was flooded with relief.

"Yes." The Endless said solemnly, a touch of relief in their own mechanical voice. "All our friends yet live."

Taylors blood turned cold, his legs turning to jelly as he sagged against the wall. Dread claimed him, as the memories flickered, silently rising in his mind to swirl like a storm.  _"Our..._  friends..." He whispered brokenly, his eyes rising slowly to The Endless, as they reached up to press a latch at their neck. He heard a hiss of decompression, and with it, the memories flew into a rage in his mind.  _"No!"_  He cried desperately, trying to fight off the flood of realisation, of understanding; the truth.  _"No!"_  He cried, his hands latching to his head as he saw himself building a suit, made of a strange red material, with a helmet and visor. A red spacesuit identical to the one now stood right before him, as it reached up with its one flesh and one iron hands. "Please,  _don't!"_  Taylor pleaded uselessly, as The Endless lifted the helmet head. " _Oh my god._.." He rasped, turning and retching violently, his heart hammering in distress.

"I had to be sure you were ready, Taylor." The Endless said, tucking their helmet beneath their flesh arm.

"Do I look anywhere  _near_  fucking ready right now, you bastard?!" Taylor snarled, wiping his mouth as he turned towards The Endless with a hateful glare, finding a face identical to his own staring back; though considerably aged.

The Endless said nothing in response to his question, understanding that no answer would satisfy. Instead, he smiled back at him warmly, relief in his dark blue eyes. He allowed Taylor a moment to process his feelings, the younger, alternate version of himself glaring furiously at him, as hatred, disgust and betrayal burnt heavy in his gut. He watched as The Endless took a deep breath, and sighed, before finally speaking again.

"Now, our work can begin."


End file.
